Southeast Queens residents will have a whole new way of communicating with the police. The NYPD is launching a new public feedback initiative in an effort to create a “feedback loop” with people served by the 113th Precinct in Jamaica.
Starting this month, southeast Queens residents who have filed a criminal complaint will receive a text message with a link to a customer service survey. This will help to identify customer service gaps, as well as strengths, and provide tangible data to inform policy improvements, officials said.
The text message will arrive about a month after the complaint is filed, giving the NYPD an opportunity to investigate the case and ensure complainants of certain crimes, such as domestic violence and homicide, are not receiving threats.
“With these new text surveys, we’ll be increasing our ability to gather New Yorkers’ feedback so we can identify service gaps and improve customer service which, in our view, is not just common sense but a continuing top priority,” Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said. “This is Neighborhood Policing in action and another important way to strengthen our relationship with those we serve.”
The program is starting as a pilot in the 113th Precinct and at the 25th Precinct in East Harlem. With the texting initiative, the NYPD will now contact New Yorkers who have filed a complaint with the goal of collecting feedback from people who received a wide variety of help and assistance, which may include reporting lost property, or reporting a crime such as petit larceny, harassment, hate crimes and assault.
The survey asks simple questions about the service people received and offers the opportunity for general feedback, as well.
The NYPD will use the information collected to help identify service areas that are effective as well as ways to continuously improve the service the precincts provide to their communities.
“We are proud to support the NYPD by funding this important public feedback initiative,” New York City Police Foundation President and CEO Susan Birnbaum said. “The information the department gathers through these texts will help improve the quality of its services while fostering stronger connections between the police and public.”
The service is accessible here. The program will be rolled out citywide by the end of the year.
