We reached out to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department to learn about the way the Town’s new MyLosGatos311 app interacts with overall public safety matters. They directed us back to the Town Manager’s Office. An official there provided the following responses.
- What prompted the Town to launch MyLosGatos311 now?
The Town continues to focus on finding ways to modernize how people connect with local government and improve the overall service experience. MyLosGatos311 is a new centralized platform that makes it easier than ever for Los Gatos residents and community members to connect with the Town. The community can now submit service requests, report concerns, and send messages to the appropriate Town department all through one convenient channel.
Once a resident submits a request, they will receive real-time status updates and automated notifications as their request is reviewed and resolved. Most importantly, the system enables direct, two-way messaging between community members and Town staff, so requestors are never left wondering about the status of their concern. Additionally, the MyLosGatos311 provides a significant amount of Town information, making it easier for residents to access information.
- When did the Town first begin exploring or planning for the MyLosGatos311 app, and what was the process for selecting GOGov as the platform?
Town staff evaluated three leading Customer Relationship Management (CRM) 311 solutions and selected GOGov as the one that provided the best overall user experience. GoGov distinguished itself with a significantly more robust mobile application and requests trackability. Their enhanced mobile functionality supported greater transparency, user engagement and self-service, aligning with the Town’s goals for digital service delivery.
- Is MyLosGatos311 replacing any existing reporting tools or centralizing requests that previously went through separate systems, or is it meant to serve as an additional option for residents?
While MyLosGatos311 provides a new, efficient and responsive centralized platform for reporting concerns and connecting with the Town, staff continue to be available to serve and connect with the community by phone and in person.
- Does the Town expect MyLosGatos311 to reduce the number of 911 calls made for non-emergency issues?
A 311 system generally helps direct non-emergency service requests into non-emergency channels by giving community members a clear, accessible alternative. Police dispatchers will continue to provide the same high level of service responding to 911 and non-emergency calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Are there common examples of non-emergency issues residents mistakenly call 911 for?
In general, common non-emergency calls include reports of potholes, graffiti, abandoned vehicles, noise complaints and downed tree limbs. MyLosGatos311 is well-suited to handle these types of service requests and connects requestors directly to the appropriate Town Department.
- Does the app connect to Police Department workflows at all, or is it mainly for Town service departments like Public Works and Code Compliance?
MyLosGatos311 is designed as a broad Town-wide platform and is built to support any Department that receives service requests.
The platform is also designed to provide more accessibility to common information residents access, including an events calendar, news and updates, access to Town meetings and agendas, signing up for other Town notifications, and more.
- What message would the Town want residents to understand about when they should still call 911?
911 is for emergencies only. An emergency is a life-threatening situation, a fire, a medical emergency, a crime in progress, a crime that just occurred or any situation involving an immediate emergency response. If you are not sure what you are reporting is an emergency, dial 911.
- How will the Town measure whether the app is successful?
The app has been successful in other communities deployed, and providing more access is our primary goal. Thus, increasing adoption over time. The system provides reporting tools that will allow the Town to track trends, identify recurring issues and continuously improve service delivery. The Town welcomes additional feedback from the community in improving the experience.
MyLosGatos311 is available for download on the App Store or Google Play, or visit: LosGatosCA.gov/MyLosGatos311
*The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
