Software for rapid response network for responding to crises without police?
Some people are looking to start to build up “some sort of rapid response network for responding to crises without involving the cops. Wondering if you, or any of the other tech folks, might know of any good tools for alerting/activating that sort of network. All I’m aware of right now is Cell 411 (which has massive problems) and Buoy (which was abandoned in 2017). Right now all communication with those folks is happening over slack; I’m gonna try to move them over to an email list for setting up trainings, but obviously neither of those are options when an immediate response is needed.”
My first thought, since i would hope that (unless we find hypothetical easy-to-use super-powerful encrypted radios!) we are able to get people on Signal for the actual rapid response network, i recommend https://signalboost.info/ — implies you have some sort of hierarchy (unless you make everyone admins), but it prevents the alert response side from turning into general chat, and each neighborhood can have its own channel.
For the side of developing plans and talking things over, rather than the immediate response side… moving from Slack to Matrix probably doesn’t help much.
security and all of course but trying to think if there are long-term integration opportunities (i see an e-mail plugin, other things?) that would make trying to move a community over worthwhile.
For the longer term of something like Cell 411 but grounded from the start in mutual aid, abolitionist, and broadly anarchist principles, and at least open source so we know it’s secure, i don’t know of anything geared in that direction but i’d love to help build it! There’s lots of social networking software geared toward circles which probably can work the same as cells, integrating phone/text connection is very possible, and this is a worldwide need as we try to fumble our way toward violence prevention with or without government support.
It seems like they might need a switch board… Looking something up  Yeah, something like Cabot, https://github.com/arachnys/Cabot, pager duty, whatever eventually might be good. 👍️ 1 Alternatively, you could try to arrange for a relationship with 911 dispatch, but that may be inconsistent mlncn Hah, nice, treat our neighborhoods like our servers 😂 👍 1
I mean, no one will be on duty 24/7, you may eventually want a trail… Communication systems are complex, etc.  I’m just guessing though
yeah we’re a ways away from being able to trust 911, unfortunately. M various groups already doing overnight community defense coverage at George Floyd Square (shut down memorial), encampments of houseless people in parks, and the Minnesota NAACP has roving protector “freedom riders”, and it seems like American Indian Movement patrol is operating 24/7 too. But it’s hard to build up self-defense capacity organically without going the way of the police or in some ways worse; can’t just keep calling the same few community members.
Yeah, organically, you end up accidentally never letting some people take the night off ❤️  That’s kind of why I thought of on call tools so quickly. It’s just as important that not everyone is alerted equally loudly, though everyone could, depending on what you agree, still catch up later.
I imagine a system that’s pretty geographically focused might be helpful, too. I’m picturing someone in a dispatch position with a handy dandy map of all the things 👍️  Not sure IT tools would help that, but it might be worth looking up
It seems like former 911 switchboard people might have a really good idea of what kinds of things a new system might need. Do you think you’re at a stage where speaking with someone like that would be helpful? ❤️
Yes! I know that job often leads to post-traumatic stress symptoms. How to mitigate and deal with that needs to be part of this conversation too :-/ 
I think clear expectations and firm boundaries around shift scheduling might help with that. Also, a personal uniform may? So that people don’t associate that stuff with daily life? It wouldn’t need do be the same across everyone involved, or recognizable to someone else, even, just a mental cue for the wearer. An identifying garment of some kind (name tag?) would probably be a good idea for folks.
And, even for not dispatch people, but people who respond, the part about knowing when you’re ‘on call’ or not would be a help.
you may also talk to the north star heath collective folks. They have a lot of dispatch and coordination experience(edited)
Organization behind Buoy:
https://betterangels.github.io/
And the developer:
https://maymay.net/#how-you-can-hire-me
Seems very worth contacting them about updating it.