Brentwood Citizen App Falsely Reported Home Invasions but Promises to Improve Reporting Now

CITIZEN App Update - for the 13,000 Users in Brentwood.

Dear Community & Citizen Mobile App Users: The BCC and LAPD have been working closely with Citizen Mobile App to ensure the reported information is accurate. There have been several recent incidents where the information was incorrectly reported and caused significant community concern.

Last week, we learned that Citizen Mobile App was altering the LAPD call data - for example, if someone reported a "hot prowl burglary" - meaning someone was seen actively trying to burglarize a home - then Citizen was reporting it online as a "home invasion", which is completely different and a higher grade crime.

Therefore, the recently reported "home invasion" on Sunset @ Carmelina was not accurate and the listing in the app never had LAPD on site follow up. Whereas an actual home invasion occurred on S. Rockingham and has detailed LAPD follow up reports.

Over the next 60 days, Citizen has committed to working with us to add the following:

1. Reports unconfirmed by on site LAPD response will be notated as such;

2. The West LAPD will be added to Citizen as a 'verified source' so they can update reports from their own Citizen account;

3. Citizen will report online EXACTLY what the they hear on the LAPD frequencies with no changes;

4. Citizen analysts will receive greater quality control to reduce errors in locations, addresses and information they post in the app.

Please reach out to Info@brentwoodcommunitycouncil.org if the BCC can answer any questions on this topic. Wishing you all a healthy 2021!

Michelle Bisnoff Chair Brentwood Community Council https://brentwoodcommunitycouncil.org/