Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Williamsburg Bars and Police Team Up in Safety Campaign for 'Hipsters'

By Serena Dai | July 17, 2015 4:48pm | Updated on July 19, 2015 9:51pm
 #OutSmartkBK posts images like these to Instagram in hopes of spreading crime prevention tips.
#OutSmartkBK posts images like these to Instagram in hopes of spreading crime prevention tips.
View Full Caption
OutSmartBK

WILLIAMSBURG — Reminder to hipsters: Zip your purse!

Williamsburg bars and police have teamed up to run a month-long social media campaign called #OutSmartBK in hopes of teaching crime prevention to the younger population in the neighborhood — who, "for lack of a better term," fall into the "hipster demographic," said The Woods owner Dave Rosen, president of the Brooklyn Allied Bars and Restaurant group.

Police have traditionally passed along crime prevention tips at church groups or community board meetings, said 90th Precinct commanding officer Inspector Mark DiPaolo.

But young people don't really go to those, he said.

Police hope that collaborating with local bars through social media would help connect them to younger residents, he added.

"We’re looking at the millennial population in the community, so that we can help to educate them and prevent them from being victims of crimes," DiPaolo said.

The #OutSmartBK campaign focuses on crime prevention tips, including zipping up purses and taking out keys before getting to the front door.

It also feature stats that may encourage people to change their behavior, like how the majority of home break-ins happen when doors and windows are unlocked.

The tips are paired with images that the campaign hopes are Instagram-friendly, with "visually impactful" shots and chatty language, Rosen said.

"We didn't want just a list of a hundred dos and donts," he said. "People won’t pay attention to that."

Organizers — and about 60 bars and restaurants in North Brooklyn — are encouraging people to include the #OutSmartBK hashtag in their own social media posts to spread the crime prevention tips, Rosen said.

Soon, they'll also be doing a contest for people who use the hashtag with an image that reflects the safety mission of the campaign, with prizes like tickets to a finale party or food giveaways.

"We're hoping to set the tone for getting the word out and help us reduce crime overall," DiPaolo said.

The campaign will feature a series of events to accompany the social aspects, including a self-defense workshop, a bike safety workshop and a "date safe" workshop.

For more information, follow #OutSmartBK on Instagram or go to its website.