Filling a void in downtown public safety
Seattle government’s ‘let the chips fall where they may’ approach to public safety has spurred a DIY movement among downtown residents.
The latest to take action is Steve Horvath, founder of the Seattle Crime Prevention Awareness Network, known as SCAP. Horvath, a semi-retired Belltown resident, had been participating in various neighborhood groups and found their valuable insights weren’t shared between them.
Believing “there’s power in being connected” Horvath decided to use his tech skills and passion for data to gather and share actionable information on the common issues of crime and safety.
The result is SCAP’s multi-faceted platform featuring City crime trends, potential solutions and reports from member condos, apartments, businesses and property managers. The goal is offering current information that helps neighbors.
Whether it’s learning how to deter a specific type of crime or that a common brand of intercom may have a security issue, Horvath says, “We’ve found members who’ve thrown a lot of money away when they could have started by getting answers from others that faced the same issues.”
A key element of the SCAP platform are crime reports submitted by members, sometimes with a security video. Submissions provide an approximate location but are otherwise anonymous for those concerned about the property’s reputation.
Horvath emphasizes SCAP is not about “fear mongering” and the group is not politically motivated. He sees SCAP as a private resource supplementing the efforts of Seattle Police, the Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) and Metropolitan Improvement District (MID).
The SCAP network is citywide and free to join. Thanks to word-of-mouth, after two months it has attracted 150 members, mostly properties downtown and their management professionals.
Horvath says, “The goal is having everybody together. There’s strength in knowledge and the power of numbers.” To that goal, he continues to explore new ways to engage people.
SCAP just released an interactive crime database displaying Seattle statistics over the past 10 years in graphic format. Next up are two free webinars from private security experts in January.
Horvath says SCAP’s potential is “limited only by time and creativity.” And perhaps funding. As a volunteer operation, it has just launched a gofundme campaign. To donate, click here.
