# Bulletin Service Research



## MIT_Sloan_Researcher (Dec 14, 2021)

Hi MassCops,

I'm a researcher at MIT exploring ways that technology can help law enforcement officers collaborate. We've done a lot of interviews with police and it seems like there are some real problems with bulletins. 
*Problems:*

They gum up your inbox with a lot of email
Most bulletins don't actually result in a connection with another cop because they aren't relevant to you/your department.
It's easy to miss bulletins due to the high volume. 
*Would departments use a web-app that could collect bulletins from departments (by scraping emails sent to the service or by directly uploaded documents)?
Capabilities: *

the tool would collect bulletins via email or web submissions
the tool would use AI to match departments with bulletins of interest based on their own submissions (matching possible suspects)
Officers could "comment" Facebook-style on bulletins if they had information about the bulletin/leads or directly connect via phone/email. 
*Does this sound interesting? Do other services already do this for you? Are there any pain points we're missing here? *

Please feel free to email if responding on forums isn't your thing!

Respectfully,
Matt White
[email protected]


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## Sooty (Nov 1, 2018)

Your terminology and lack of actual knowledge is downright scary!

And you're an MIT professor? 😲

Ohhhh... wait... 🤷‍♀️


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## MIT_Sloan_Researcher (Dec 14, 2021)

Thanks @Sooty, I guess you are correct, our lack of knowledge is why we're posting. Is this a problem that you face in your day-to-day as a police officer? Is it a non-issue? Would love to hear your thoughts! 
Also, I am not a professor (too much paperwork), just a researcher looking into this problem to see if there is a way to make policing better. 

Best,
Matt


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## Sooty (Nov 1, 2018)

MIT_Sloan_Researcher said:


> Thanks @Sooty, I guess you are correct, our lack of knowledge is why we're posting. Is this a problem that you face in your day-to-day as a police officer? Is it a non-issue? Would love to hear your thoughts!
> Also, I am not a professor (too much paperwork), just a researcher looking into this problem to see if there is a way to make policing better.
> 
> Best,
> Matt


A - your bio says "professor" 🤷‍♀️

B - just as you're not an officer, neither am I - but I'm familiar with the system and nothing you're saying makes sense. 

Honestly it sounds like a pitch.

Besides, I think chat room comments would be a hard fight in court for admissibility. 

But I could be mistaken. 

The real issue is neighboring cities and towns who don't monitor each other or share info.


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## MIT_Sloan_Researcher (Dec 14, 2021)

Sooty said:


> A - your bio says "professor" 🤷‍♀️
> 
> B - just as you're not an officer, neither am I - but I'm familiar with the system and nothing you're saying makes sense.
> 
> ...


You hit the nail on the head with the last sentence. It's crazy how few neighboring towns do a good job monitoring each other's information streams. I have a military background so I'm coming at this from a slightly different angle so forgive me if nothing I say "makes sense."

When you say "chat room comments" can you explain what you mean? Are you interpreting the ability to comment and share on bulletins as a "chatroom?" As for admissibility in court, what WOULD make it admissible? 

Not a pitch - a team of ours is trying to understand data sharing and my task has been to go out to police forums and ask questions. Hope that makes sense.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

MIT_Sloan_Researcher said:


> When you say "chat room comments" can you explain what you mean? Are you interpreting the ability to comment and share on bulletins as a "chatroom?" As for admissibility in court, what WOULD make it admissible?


Never write when you can talk.
Never talk when you can nod.
And never put anything [on the Internet]. ~ Eliot Spitzer

I modified the end of the quote, but my guess is that's where she's going.


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