Quote Quoting SChinFChin
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I'm in NYC, and on most of the advertising for citizens calling in on the 311 hotline, the city promised "anonymity" for the people calling. The 311 line is for any type of non-emergency complaint, such as unplowed snow.

Many years ago, that wasn't the case, names were revealed. More recently, one of the more common complaints are for "drug dealing" in the neighborhood, and when the names were revealed, the drug gangs simply went over and murdered the "complainer".

In one famous case here, the local police station was infiltrated by the drug gangs, and the identity of one confidential informant was revealed. When the police found out about it, they had to station patrol cars outside 24/7 before they can re-locate the informant. But before the informant can be re-located, however, the officer guarding the "snitches" house outside was shot in the head and murdered.

At least in NYC if we give everyone due process, I don't expect any citizen to call in a complaint.

In cases where confidential informants have their identities revealed at trial so the accused can "have his day in court", usually the informants go into the witness protection program afterwards. And I don't think municipalites can afford to put everyone complaining about unplowed snow into a witness protection program.

In fact, I myself called in a 311 complaint about someone plastering "we buy car" posters with his phone number, hundreds of them in the neighborhood. It is illegal, and the city imposes a $50 fine for each, and someone was in fact ordered by the city to pay a $12,000 fine and take the signs down.

Unbeknowst to me though, it was some big 300 lb guy down the street who did it, and he came into my business one morning, mad as hell, but did not know I was the one who called. He said if he ever finds out the name of the person who called it in, "he is dead !!!".

Now, these signs are all over town, with his phone number on it, and all anyone has to do is drive down the avenue and see it. Fortunately, I can call it in confidentially. Now, what purpose would it serve to give this guy my name so he can come by and kill me??

The evidence of the crime is everywhere.
And yet you cannot own a handgun in NYC .. tsk tsk tsk