KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – It’s not your grandfather’s Public Safety Department, or your fathers, or even your older brother’s.
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is the first in the state to implement a digital link that will allow folks who have called 911 to offer immediate feedback on how their encounter with officers went.
It’s called My90, a system that sends a follow up text message to anyone in Kalamazoo who calls for assistance. The survey asks them if they are happy with the outcome.
Chief Dave Boysen says it’s completely anonymous, and he says it will also be available to anyone who gets pulled over for a traffic violation.
My90 has been up and running for a month. The results will be posted for the public to review on their website,
Boysen says the early results are positive, with 90% of those who were stopped and 80% who called offering favorable responses.
It also showed that the department stopped more black and brown drivers than are represented in the population, which he says they will need to watch.
They plan a report to the community on their findings after the first 90 days of use.
It’s just one feature of the KDPS website, which also includes data on the calls the department responds to everyday so residents can keep track of what’s happening in their neighborhood.
Union contracts, departmental policies, and other updates are all available on their “transparency page”.
reporting from John McNeill
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