Rensselaer police announce new text tool for community feedback

RENSSELAER, N.Y. » Residents of the City of Rensselaer will be the first within Rensselaer County and some of the first in New York to use a new community engagement and feedback solution after an interaction with the police department.

This new service uses text messaging to contact some 911 callers and others that have recently reported or been involved in non-life-threatening incidents.

These text messages are sent hours or days after the incident and will ask citizens to take a quick survey about their experience with the Rensselaer Police Department. It will also allow citizens to provide their own comments, feedback, and words of gratitude after receiving public safety service.

“It is important for our department to hear from the community about how we are doing, especially from those that we have recently met,” Rensselaer Police Chief James Frankoski said.

“This new product, called CueHit, will give me access to citizen feedback in near realtime and provide insights into areas where we can improve the service we provide to the community, and help boost officer morale when positive feedback is provided,” Frankoski added.

With CueHit, text message surveys are sent to those whose number is recorded as part of a call for service or even an officer’s report. But citizens can take a text message survey and provide feedback even if they did not receive a text message. They will soon be announcing a number dedicated to this and QR codes will be made available to scan to start that conversation.

Residents that do not want to participate can simply not respond or let the department know in advance by calling the department and your number will never receive a survey. As with all texts, residents may reply with STOP and that will opt them out of all future text surveys from the department.

It is important that everyone know that these surveys should not be used to report any type of emergency or crime. As always, call 9-1-1 or 518-462-7451 for any emergency or to report any criminal activity.