Antioch police will now be able to update and provide information to community members just after they request police service for their concerns.
The Antioch Police Department this week began using SPIDR Tech, a fully automated system to provide community members updates and related details about their concerns through text message or email.
“In some cases, a delay may occur when a higher priority call comes in and the officer is diverted, or when the overall call volume creates delays. If the responding officer is delayed, an automated message will be sent to the caller letting them know,” Antioch police said in a news release.
After a concern is handled, community members who called about it will receive a survey and can provide feedback on their experience with the call taker and officer who responded. All automated messages and surveys will be available in both English and Spanish, police said.
Residents can receive news and updates from Antioch police about community events, road closures, and crime alerts by texting 925-568-7388 with the keyword APD.
According to Antioch police, they will soon enable additional features of SPIDR Tech that will allow crime victims to receive information on the status of their cases.
The SPIDR Tech launch comes a week after state Sen. Steve Glazer, D-Orinda sought help from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Highway Patrol for Antioch’s police force, which has been struggling to maintain public safety due to the department’s low levels of staffing amid federal and local investigations into civil rights violations by officers.
Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe said that the city, which has a population of about 120,000 residents, has “about four or five officers at any given moment patrolling our streets.”