Build the Community Policing App That Improves Safety Without Enabling Mob Justice

Nigeria has one police officer for every 590 citizens — well below the UN recommended ratio of 1 per 450. Community watchfulness is already the primary safety mechanism in most Nigerian neighbourhoods, but it operates informally through WhatsApp groups, street associations, and vigilante groups. These informal systems sometimes produce mob justice outcomes. A designed, structured alternative could improve safety while creating accountability. Your challenge is to design a community policing mobile application that enables residents to report suspicious activity, track crime patterns in their area, and coordinate with official police units — without enabling mob justice or exposing reporters to retaliation. It must include a reporting mechanism that protects reporter identity, a community pattern aggregation tool, a police coordination interface, and an escalation mechanism for emergencies. Submit a product design document (max 12 pages) including: the reporting and anonymity architecture, pattern aggregation and display, police coordination interface, emergency escalation design, how mob justice enablement is prevented by design, data governance, and a plan to deploy in five LGAs in Lagos within 12 months. Judging criteria: 35% mob justice prevention design, 30% reporter anonymity and safety, 20% police coordination interface, 15% deployment plan.