Emily Hays Photo
City employee Arthur Natalino, Jr, Hill North chairman Howard Boyd, Sgt. Justin Marshall
As the New Haven Police Department quietly begins promoting a new information-sharing app called Neighbors, Hill North neighbors expressed support for using the platform.
Top Hill cop Sgt. Justin Marshall introduced the free app to the Hill North Management Team on Tuesday evening. Residents can share anonymous public safety tips with one another and send videos directly to detectives working on a particular case.
“I still like old-school block watches, but for some reason they haven’t caught on,” Marshall said. “I think [the app is] great.”
Amazon-owned company Ring developed the app. Videos recorded using Ring’s cameras and doorbells can be uploaded instantly, as can images from other surveillance equipment brands.
The new technology has proved controversial in other cities and in New Haven. Critics have raised concerns about data privacy, racial profiling and more.
Both of the alders present at the meeting shared their enthusiasm for the technology. Alder Evelyn Rodriguez suggested doing a show-and-tell of the app and several other resources at the next management team meeting.
Alder Carmen Rodriguez encouraged attendees to sign up for the app.
“The police are doing a heck of a job,” she said.
Most of the Hill residents who spoke about the app during and after the meeting said that they like the idea. Only one neighbor expressed skepticism to the group.
“I don’t want police to get dependent on these little apps,” said Hill resident Abdias Rodriguez.
Safety was on residents’ minds. Many topics on Tuesday, from the demolition of two houses on Ward Street to the proper location of trash cans, returned to how to ensure safety in the Hill.
Abdias Rodriquez said that he has seen prostitution occurring near the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center during the day. Chairman Howard Boyd nodded and said that the activity had been going on for six to eight months.
From the second row of chairs, Hill Health CEO Michael Taylor said that he wishes someone had told him about the situation. He urged neighbors to do so in the future, because the center has its own security team.
After the meeting, neighbors milled about the chairs, chatting with Marshall and each other before heading home.
