Sacramento Police Credit Nextdoor.com Partnership For Significant Drop In Crime

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Sacramento Police are crediting a social-media tool they've been using for the past year for a double-digit decrease in crime.

Angela Wood has been living in the Pocket area of Sacramento for a decade. But it wasn't until recently that she got a better feel for what's really going on in her neighborhood.

"Well it's pretty quiet down in our neck of the woods, which is a good thing. But there are different things that happen," she said. "There was some drug bust."

She's more in touch with her neighborhood thanks to a year-old partnership between the Sacramento Police and Nextdoor.com.

"We've had crime tips come in," said Lt. Justin Risley. "For example, we've investigated a graffiti series. We've had people come forward with information that's relevant to the investigation."

Police can post alerts and requests for information, and neighbors can ask cops questions. The department says the partnership has paid off, citing a 10 percent drop in crime last year and more progress this year.

"Right now, year to date, we're down almost 15 percent on top of the 10 percent we did already that's phenomenal," said Chief Sam Somers.

Sacramento has the only police department in the area to connect with people on Nextdoor.com, but the Kelsey Grady says the company is recruiting others.

"We have to train them, they have to understand the platform, but of course we want to get as many police departments on board as possible," Grady said.

Right now, 86 percent of Sacramento neighborhoods are on the site, and the goal is to reach 100 percent by next year.

"To be able to reach thousands of people at one click of that return button to send it out is really an amazing thing for us," Risley said.

The partnership is free for the city of Sacramento.