What is Citizen Net (Burgernet)?
Citizen Net?is a unique partnership between citizens, local authorities and police to improve security in the living and working environment. It uses a telephone network of residents and employees of businesses in from a certain?municipality and connects them to authorities. Messages start at?the centralized incident or emergency control room of the police after a report comes in about, for example, an intrusion or a missing child. Then the Citizen Net is alerted and activated by a simple text or voice message. This text is based on a good description to avoid mistakes and extra questions. Burgernet Participants will receive a recorded message via (mobile) phone or a text message via SMS with a request to look for a specific?person or vehicle in the subscribers area. Since 2014 there is even an app to accomodate this process.
When is Citizen Net used?
In urgent cases, where a clear description is available, such as:
– Theft or burglary;
– Failure to stop after a collision;
– Pickpocket theft;
– Violence;
– Missing persons.
How does Citizen Net?work?
The control room of the police will be notified by a caller and often police will be dispatched. The police can us the Citizen Net as soon as the police is on their way, or decide to wait and use it in later stages.?The operator of the control room of the police enters a clear and to the point?message: “Here is a call for Citizen Net?Would you look for a – clearly described person or vehicle?- and call back when you see him/her/it at the free number of 0800 0011. ” Participants will receive the call as recorded message on their (cell) phone or text message via SMS.
On the basis of the reported Citizen Net participant(s) information the police can increase search activities in an area or move on. Expanding?the search area to another area means that the control room of the police will activate Citizen Net in the adjacent area. Afterwards participants receive a message about the outcome of the action.
Researcher Albert Meijer (University of Utrecht) looked into the effectiveness of Citizen Net when compared to?Twitter (Dutch only):