Realtor Safety in Light of Missing Arkansas Agent

ICE Black Box,

Agents, please read this and hang in there long enough to get to the meat of this post.  The neighborhood where I live is in the process of setting up a Neighborhood Watch program in which we will be using an app called ICE Black Box this is different from the ICE app that has been around awhile.  With this app, you can video record events such as dangerous situations, suspicious activity, crime as it's happening or if you feel you are in danger.  The video is then stored on another server so that no can force you to erase the video and even if the phone is damaged, the video has already been stored on

The video is then stored on another server so that no can force you to erase the video and even if the phone is damaged, the video has already been stored on another server.  While i record mode, you can click on the link that says "call 911" and the video is sent to authorities and in addition, you can have that same video automatically sent to people you have set up in your settings on the app. 

I had already been talking with the company, ICE Black Box, about how real estate agents could use this app as part of Realtor® safety, but that inquiry was escalated when I read about Beverly Carter in Arkansas.ICE Black Box, about how real estate agents could use this app as part of Realtor® safety, but that inquiry was escalated when I read about Beverly Carter in Arkansas.

You can check out some news videos of how the ICE Black Box works.news videos of how the ICE Black Box works.

I immediately sent a link to the article about the missing Arkansas agent to my ICE Black Box contact, Johnny Gajito and asked how Realtors could best use the ICE Black Box app as a safety precaution and below is what he suggested.  Please share this with your broker and Mr. Gajito suggested getting NAR involved.  I feel that this would be a worthwhile effort if we pushed for NAR's involvement in investigating the wide spread use of ICE Blackbox throughout the real estate community.

Here's an idea,

1. Have the Brokerage/Realtors create a Neighborhood Watch Portal for either each home/neighborhood they have listing located in. (Same thing goes for one of your Buying Agent showing a home)
   
2. When entering into MLS, mention in the notes "This property is currently monitored with a Neighborhood Watch NOW Portal".
   Along in the description also recommend downloading the ICE BlackBox App and to call the Brokerage/Listing Agent prior to showing the property.
   
   Example: "As a safety process, Realtors showing this property are recommended to download the new Neighborhood Watch NOW Mobile App, ICE BlackBox. 
   Please use this app to document any problems/damages with the property by recording any finding onsite and then "sharing" these incidents with me via email or sms to listing-agents@email.com or "888-mymobile#" 
   
3. Also place one of the Neighborhood Watch NOW signs in the front & back window(for predators).Neighborhood Watch NOW signs in the front & back window(for predators).front & back window (for predators).
   
4. When a Realtors call have the Listing Agent or someone at the Brokerage login to the Portal for that home/location (if there are multiple listings within the same radius, just use the same one)
   
5. Also recommend to any Realtor to use the app as a selfie to record themselves checking-in or opt-out. But at least have the app handy for their safety and documenting details, as mentioned above in the example.

You don't want to scare buyers or agents away by assuming/disclosing that it is a bad neighborhood or otherwise.

This is only a recommendation and a "best practice scenario", change any way you see fit or discuss this amongst your office and come up with ideas to add or change.  

This is only a recommendation and a "best practice scenario", change any way you see fit or discuss this amongst your office and come up with ideas to add or change. 
Introduce it as a "New Safety/Documentation Procedure". 

I would involve your IT Dept., Office-Assistant or a Compliance person in creating/executing this process. IT would create the login for "General-Use", so everyone/anyone from your office may access it and that many can share or use the same login. Once we complete Beta-testing on this Phase 1 implementation, you would be able to create multiple users and still have IT manage it.

For example; ForestHill@KellerWilliamsGardendale.com, FairOaks@KellerWilliamsGardendale.com, etc. or maybe a GMail, Yahoo, or Hotmail account and have someone designated. I would suggest 2-3 people, such as a compliance or an Office-Assistant monitor or log into the portal when a Listing Agent is notified or the opposite when an Buying Agent is going out to show a property, even if it's not their own listing or from the same Broker's office.