Abbeville Police New Anonymous Tip App
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Abbeville Police Department rolls out new app to help fight crime

The Abbeville Police Department has rolled out a new app to aid in fighting crime.

According to the department, the app, Tip 411, will help residents connect with police to find information, view alerts, and submit anonymous tips from their smartphones and devices.

“Only together, can we keep Abbeville safe,” said Chief William Spearman of the Abbeville Police Department. “Working together, we are more likely to make lasting improvements in the safety of our community, I believe the new Abbeville PD app from tip411 will help better connect our department to our residents.”

The new app, according to officials will enable the public to share an anonymous tip with police and let officers respond back to create an anonymous two-way conversation. Residents without a smartphone can share information with police by sending an anonymous text tip via their cell phone to police by texting keyword APDTIPS and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411).

The Abbeville PD app is available for download for free via the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store, by visiting the Abbeville Police Department website at www.abbevillepd.com, or the official Abbeville PD Facebook page .

See the full story from KATC 3

Anonymous Tip Submission Example Tip411
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Lake County Sheriff and coalition of parents say tip411 a ‘tool to do the right thing’ in reporting underage drinking parties

With a new text-a-tip program in place supported by the Stand Strong Coalition, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is looking to curb underage drinking parties.

Two reported incidents in recent weeks feature allegations that show what officials are up against.

On Sept. 2, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 42200 block of N. 7th Avenue in unincorporated Antioch and ended up ticketing a 56-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman for hosting an underage drinking party for their children and their friends, according to the sheriff’s office.

On Aug. 9, the sheriff’s office reports deputies were sent to the 38600 block of N. Pine Avenue in Beach Park and ended up ticketing two 19-year-olds for hosting an underage drinking party.

In both instances, the charges were a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail, up to two years of probation and a fine of up to $2,500, according to the sheriff’s office. Bail for the four arrested in the two incidents was $1,500, according to records.

The Stand Strong Coalition purchased a four-year membership to “Tip411,” where anyone can anonymously send a message to the sheriff’s office if they have information about where underage drinking or drug use is taking place.

“As a parent in the community and the Executive Director of Stand Strong Coalition, parents and students tell me all of the time that they know where underage drinking is occurring, and they worry for the youth involved,” said Jamie Epstein in a statement.

“However, they have not found a way to share their tips with police in a way that feels comfortable to them,” Epstein added. “We are pleased to partner with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to offer parents and youth this tool to do the right thing when they know of illegal and unsafe activity.”

To report a party where underage alcohol consumption and/or drug use is taking place, residents can send a text message to 847-411.

The body of the text message should start with 123TIP, then the tipster can explain the information they want to share, and officials urge tipsters to include as much information as possible. The sheriff’s office will handle calls in the unincorporated area and pass off tips to the appropriate village or city for their police departments to handle.

“Alcohol and drug use impair one’s ability to make decisions. This is true in adults, but especially true in adolescents and young adults,” Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said in a statement.

“Statistics show us, underage drinking and drug use leads to higher rates of sexual assault, a higher likelihood of being involved in a fatal or serious traffic crash, as well as other negative consequences. We hope this new partnership with Stand Strong Coalition assists us in getting involved before a tragedy occurs,” he added.

According to authorities, parents and others over 18 years can be held criminally and civilly liable for allowing their property — or a hotel room, rented limo, bus, boat or vehicle — to be used for underage consumption of alcohol.

“It is hoped this initiative will discourage parents from allowing underage drinking and drug use to take place, while reducing the number of youth partaking in these behaviors,” Idleburg said.

Read the full story from the Chicago Tribune

Safer Schools Screenshot
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An app allows students to message their principals when they hear a threat. Find out which districts are using it

We’re used to seeing teenagers with faces glued to their phones to text a friend, but now students in the North Syracuse Central School District have an app to message their principal.

So far, the anonymous form of communication has stopped fights in the hallway and busted students vaping in the bathroom, but the app allows students who see something, to say something, when they see a threat on social media.

Tip411 is a technology suggested by the Onondaga County School Safety Task Force, which was put together last year by the Onondaga County District Attorney after 17 people will killed in the Parkland, Florida high school shooting.

DA Bill Fitzpatrick says he was compelled to put together the group, knowing that police missed many warning signs in Parkland.

Tip411 is already available to all citizens in Onondaga County, as a way to reach their local police. But now, many school districts are getting the app, or something similar, for students to talk with administrators.

NewsChannel 9 surveyed local superintendents and based on their responses and what’s available publicly on district websites, these are what the district’s offer in terms of anonymous tip lines:

Tip411

  • North Syracuse (uses Tip411)
  • West Genesee (uses Tip411 and Tip Line)
  • Westhill (uses Tip 411)
  • Solvay (uses Tip 411 and Tip Line)
  • Syracuse (working on implementing Tip411)
  • Marcellus (working on implementing Tip411 )

See the full story from News Channel 9

Rocky Boy Police Department
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Rocky Boy police implement anonymous tip smartphone app

Rocky Boy Police Department announced this week that, with the help of tip411, it launched an application to allow people to make anonymous tips to law enforcement.

Rocky Boy Police referred the Havre Daily News to its press release and to tip411’s website at https://home.tip411.com for information.

The press release said the app will help Rocky Boy residents and law enforcement officers obtain information.

“The Rocky Boy Police Department is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal with a new app to help residents connect with the department to find information, view alerts and submit anonymous tips from their smartphone,” the release said.

The app was launched Saturday and is aimed to help better connect law enforcement with the public, it said, adding that the app is a powerful crime-fighting tool and is available for all ages. The app is available for free on the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store or by visiting the Rocky Boy Police Department Website at http://www.chippewacree-nsn.gov .

The app removes all identifying information before sending anything to law enforcement, ensuring all information shared is 100 percent anonymous, it added. It also allows the public to share anonymous tips with Rocky Boy Police Department, as well as allowing officers to respond back, creating an anonymous two-way conversation, the release said.

“Our mission is to promote safety and enhance the quality of life for all our residents,” it said. “We believe our new anonymous tip system will aid us in those goals.”

tip411 is a company which helps different agencies effectively engage with the public, its website says. The app is also an easily implemented community notification systems which includes crime alerts as a cost-effective, web-based solution. 

The website added that the system also allows law enforcement to send crime and community alerts to public groups, neighborhood watches, businesses or school campuses. It said the system is aimed to give people an ability to come forward with what they are seeing in their communities without fear of retaliation.

In the press release from Rocky Boy Police Department, tip411 President Terry Halsch said the app will also give people critical access to information and alerts to help fight crime in the area.

“We’ve listened to feedback from partners like Rocky Boy Police and have built a more advanced and innovative product to help departments better engage their communities,” Halsch said. “The Rocky Boy PD app, powered by tip411, will greatly improve the public’s access to agency alerts, social media channels, important information and more to help fight crime.”

The release added that residents in Rocky Boy without a smartphone can also share information with law enforcement by sending anonymous text tips using their cellphones by texting RBPD and their message to 847411 (tip411).  Anonymous web tips can also be submitted through the department’s website at http://www.chippewacree-nsn.gov .

The app also has the number for Rocky Boy Police Department, a webpage link and a Facebook link. People who are trying to make a tip to law enforcement will have to include a subject for the tip, along with the location and description of what they are reporting. They can also attach a video or photo to the message.

Read the full story from Havre Daily News.

Tip411 Let's Work Together
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Fridley police tip app brings uptick in ‘quality of life’ reports

Fridley police have seen an increase in “quality of life” reports since implementing a tip app for smartphones about a year ago, according to Fridley police Capt. Ryan George.

The free app, Tip411, allows people to submit tips to the Police Department completely anonymously. Tip411 was funded in partnership with Fridley Public Schools.

The quality of life tips may be notifying the police of a noisy neighbor or parking problems.

“It seems to be things that are close to the tipsters’ house, so I can see why somebody wouldn’t want to call 911 on their neighbors and give a name and address and all that stuff,” George said. “So we’ve really seen an uptick in those tips lately.”

For those fearing repercussions from calling the police Tip411 can provide peace of mind, according to George.

“They don’t have to live in fear that their neighbor’s going to find out they called 911,” George said. “It’s 100% anonymous. We can’t figure out who the tipster is, even if we try to subpoena the company or get a search warrant for the records. They don’t have it.”

The only people seeing the tip through the app are Fridley Police staff, he said. Staff can engage in dialogue with tipsters to get more details if necessary.

Tip411 has been useful during times when police ask for the public’s help identifying someone or with anything related to a crime, George said. Users can send police any information they have through the app.

The anonymous app is useful for Fridley students as well, George said. If students hear a classmate threatening to hurt themselves or other people, they could anonymously report those threats to the police through the app.

Fridley Public Schools initially wanted to collaborate with the Police Department a few years ago, Fridley Public Schools director of communications and community relations Jael McLemore said.

“Tragic events can be prevented if they are reported to law enforcement ahead of time, and resources such as (Tip411) provide an additional layer to regular reporting channels, such as 911, that community members can use,” McLemore said.

In addition to the Tip411 app, she said, students have access to counselors and other school staff members if anything needs to be reported to keep schools safe.

“We really don’t want to miss an opportunity to partner if that helps enhance safety, if that helps increase security for our staff, our students and our buildings,” McLemore said.

Police are able to push notifications out to people’s phones as well. If there’s a street blocked off or an accident to report, police can tell the community through the app, so users are in the know if there are any major incidents.

Fridley residents can download the app through their phones’ app stores by searching Fridley PD Tip411.

Read the full story from HometownSource.com