Dearborn Joins Virtual Neighborhood Watch

The Dearborn Police Department on Thursday announced a partnership with Nextdoor, a free social networking platform used to increase communication among residents and strengthen neighborhoods and create a virtual neighborhood watch program.

Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad said the partnership provides an easy way for residents to get to know one another, as well as work more closely with police to make their neighborhoods safer.

Stay Connected

• Get the Dearborn Patch free daily newsletter and news alerts.
• Like Dearborn Patch on Facebook.

“We believe that building trust and constant communication channels will lead to stronger and safer neighborhoods,” Haddad said in a statement announcing the partnership.

Nextdoor says 41,000 neighborhoods across the country use the platform.

The platform allows residents to create private neighborhood websites to share information about public safety issues, community events and activities, local services, lost pets and other matters.

The platform also allows the Dearborn Police Department to share crime alerts, emergency notifications, safety precautions and tips, details for events and crime prevention meetings, and updates on activity affecting the local area to Nextdoor websites within Dearborn.

Users can be assured that their privacy will be protected, Haddad said, noting that though police can broadcast important information, it’s a one-way street and they won’t be able to access residents’ websites, contact information or content.

Each neighborhood has its own Nextdoor website that can’t be accessed by people outside the neighborhood. The neighborhoods establish and self-manage their own websites, and all members must verify that they live within the neighborhood before joining Nextdoor.

The sites are password protected and cannot be accessed by Google or other search engines.

Nextdoor is free to residents and the police department.

Those interested in joining their neighborhood’s Nextdoor website can visit www.nextdoor.com and enter their address. If residents have questions about their Nextdoor website, they should visit help.nextdoor.com.

» Photo via Nextdoor