Out with the old and in with the new, as Manhattan replaces its neighborhood watch program with Nextdoor, a free app that uses social media to provide community networking.
Manhattan and Riley County residents can now create an account on Nextdoor to network with their community. The goals of the city aren’t to bombard residents with information, rather than to provide it on a case-by-case neighborhood basis, according to Public Program Coordinator Gayle Donaldson.
“I think it’s just another way for people to reach out to us. It’s really going to be on the residents to get involved and to find a way to use it within their own neighborhoods.”
The app is similar to Facebook, except more private and uses features such as lost and found, community updates, and provides a way to alert neighbors and the RCPD of minor crimes such as vandalism within the community.
Public Information Officer Mat Droge says the Riley County Police department will be involved in the Nextdoor app, however they don’t want to use it as a way to interfere too much with residents using it.
“We hope that the Nextdoor service will bring the community together to be a little more social,” Officer Droge mentioned, “A community that takes ownership in itself, that takes pride in itself and has an open line of communication helps us to reduce crime, helps the City of Manhattan better serve.”
This app has not only proven to help report crime, it has also provided a space for neighbors to trade items, arrange block parties, and even help youngsters find jobs such as mowing lawns. Manhattan has become the first city-wide entity to use the app in the nation. Nextdoor is free to users, the city and organizations such as the RCPD. The app will also not sell personal information to marketers.
