New public safety website promotes community engagement, support
LOS ANGELES, August 4, 2011 – A new website designed to better inform Los Angeles residents about local law enforcement issues and neighborhood safety is fostering greater community engagement, says Paul M. Weber, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL).
PublicSafetyFirst.com, an initiative of the LAPPL, is a community news and information service that features, among other things, update-to-date crime alerts based on LAPD data analyzed by the Los Angeles Times. With a contact list of over 360,000 Los Angeles households, PublicSafetyFirst.com sends timely and targeted email messages to residents of neighborhoods experiencing spikes in crime. The messages display the number and types of crimes on the rise in specific neighborhoods, and link to the Times’ neighborhood crime alerts page. Residents not currently receiving these messages can sign up through the Public Safety First website.
“As a result of our outreach with this new service and the crime prevention links on the Public Safety First site, community members have another resource to report crimes and offer tips to help LAPD officers with their investigations,” says Weber. “We appreciate the community’s support and are pleased that PublicSafetyFirst.com and the neighborhood crime alerts have been so well received.”
The website, with some content available in Spanish, also features coverage of local, state and national budgetary issues, and information on local elections, neighborhood safety, community organizations and upcoming events.
As part of the LAPPL’s ongoing public education campaign, the website also provides information on the importance of having a fully funded Los Angeles Police Department. A list of City Hall officials is also available so residents can express their concerns about Los Angeles public safety and voice their support for LAPD officers.
Weber adds that the LAPPL is seeking to strengthen its partnership with the community and make it clear to city leaders that public safety needs to remain their number one priority. “The League is reinforcing its commitment to the community through innovative programs and increased communication. Particularly in tough economic times, it is vital that Los Angeles residents stress to their elected leaders the importance of making public safety priority number one in the City’s budget process,” notes Weber. “By providing residents with relevant information and facilitating a dialogue with elected City officials, we believe the LAPPL is doing its part toward ensuring Los Angeles avoids making ill-advised cuts to the public safety budget.”
For more information, go to PublicSafetyFirst.com.
Contact:Eric Rose (805) 624-0572 or Paul Haney (626) 755-4759
About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents the more than 9,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education. The LAPPL can be found on the Web at www.LAPD.com.
