App allows public to rate interactions with law enforcement
DELAWARE.- If not now, when? That’s the question Lamont Hairston says he wanted an answer to when creating his on app.
The Law Enforcement Interaction Notification System app, or L.I.N.S. app for short, allows users the power to rate their interactions with law enforcement. Hairston says the idea came from the Lyft rating system and finding it troubling that you could rate a driver but not an officer. “Every entity that exists works for ratings. How’s my driving, you rate restaurants, you rate barbers, you rate nail salons. Everybody gets rated in the service community except police officers and they have the biggest impact on the public,” said Hairston.
On the app, officer’s are rated in areas like professionalism and ability to reach a speedy resolution. Hairston says the rating gives community members a voice, something he says they currently don’t have. “The issue is nobody listens to the community. So I was like we have to put the power in the community’s hands because they are hired to serve and protect the community but nobody listens to the community’s voice,” said Hairston.
Law enforcement say that an initiative like this one could be useful but the focus should be bridging the gap between the community and their trust in those hired to protect and serve. “I know here in Dover our chief of police is really focused on creating that community policing dynamic and building those relationships and so I think that is helpful in opening that line of communication,” said Dover Police Chief Advisory Committee’s Chanda Jackson.
Hairston is also a father and says that building that confidence back in law enforcement is key so his children won’t have the same experiences he has. “I hate the fact that I have to have this conversation with my kids. I hate that they have to be trained differently and talked to about potentially dying before they’re even adults because of they way the system is set up,” said Hairston.
Ultimately, Hairston says he just wants to be a help. “Our hands our tide and no ones helping and I’m trying to provide some help. That’s all,” said Hairston.
Harrison says his ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between youth and law enforcement and doing this could look like creating programs to bring the two together.
You can download the app in the Apple App Store and check out more information about the creator on his website.
