Grand Coulee police meet with citizens for input

Grand Coulee police held a public meeting to hear residents' ideas on what they need to focus on and also to introduce them to a new app Officer Matt Gilbert is working on for easier communication with police.

The app, which he is developing, is currently for Android phones only. Features will include police related news, resources, alerts, police activity in the area, a one-tap feature for calling the dispatch center to ask for police, and more.

The informal meeting was called to give people a chance to air their concerns about local crime, specifically violent crime and how to reduce it.

"A lot of people see things and they don't know if they should call," Gilbert said. "Or people don't know if it's serious enough to call the police."

A woman who lives in the Delano area where traffic to a couple residences "is non-stop."

Gilbert said houses there on "on our radar."

She said she'd ask for my drive-byes, "but I think they have you guys down pat. ... They're so sneaky."

Another man said he'd move to the area because it was quiet, but now he asked that a noise ordinance be enforced. He suffers from a medical condition that makes him sensitive to loud noises, and cars driving through with deep bass notes booming can send him to his knees in pain.

"Most cities, they call it audio trespass," he said.

"As far as your neighborhood goes, just call us," Gilbert said, "especially if the car is coming through at the same time."

Another person gave some praise for police.

"I give you kudos for catching the people coming down to Bridgeport Hill," she said. There's mornings that I just am amazed how fast people go down that hill. So, if you want some good ones in the morning do it about 7:30, 8 o'clock."

Gilbert said the app, currently in testing mode, will eventually also be made for Apple iPhones, too, but he's hoping to get a grant to help pay for submitting it to Apple.

"I hope you guys get everything you want and need," said the Delano woman.