tip411 recently interviewed Major Brian Seldon of the Kokomo, Indiana Police Department (89 sworn officers), about his agency’s use of tip411’s anonymous tips tool. Major Seldon said the tip411 tool has made it easier for their agency to communicate with their citizens, along with solving more crime and gathering more information using tip411 than before they had tip411.
Q: How has the tip411 system aided your department?
A: From our perspective, tip411 is a great tool for our agency. As one of the agency’s Public Information Officers, I found that the platform made it more efficient to send out press releases to media outlets, alerts, and the overall effectiveness of just communicating with our citizens. The platform has made it so much easier for residents to provide information to the police and remain anonymous. Prior to tip411, our agency utilized social media platforms such as Facebook to engage citizens. With the social media features of tip411, the sharing of information to Facebook and Twitter just made it so much easier to manage.
Q: Any notable tips/arrests credited to tip411 that come to mind?
A: We have too many tip/arrests to name. This software has definitely benefited our agency.
Q: Any advice for other departments considering tip411?
A: The ease of the platform makes it so much efficient and effective to share information with the media and citizens. The app also makes it so much easier for individuals to share information with the police and remain anonymous. It is our experience since rolling out the app that the public feels more comfortable sharing information with our department. We definitely feel that we have solved more crime, gathered more information, and more with tip411 than before we had tip411. The company and their support staff have also been pleasant and helpful to work with.
Q: What have you done to promote your tip411 system to make sure residents know about it and use it?
A: We promoted tip411 by the flyer prepared and provided by tip411. We also provided business cards to our officers for them to pass out while they are patrolling the streets. In addition, we have a vinyl banner promoting tip411 that we display at our public events to promote the app and encourage downloads and use.
Q: How is tip411 administered in your department (responsibilities, protocols, etc.)?
A: When we first initiated tip411, I was the main administrator and had two individuals who managed the tips when they came in. With promoting the platform, I saw that it was gaining interest and we started receiving more tips on cases. Now, myself and two others send alerts to media outlets, citizens, and local crime watch groups and then two other staff manage the tips as they come in from the public. These two individuals assign the tips to the patrol, criminal investigation section, or the drug unit.
Q: How did you hear about tip411?
A: We launched tip411 in July of 2022. We were looking for additional ways for our agency to connect with citizens of the community and continue to find way to keep our community safe and solve crimes.
Q: Tell us about your community and the Kokomo Police Department (how many residents, how many sworn, etc.).
A: The City of Kokomo, Indiana is the county seat of Howard County. The city is 36.79 square miles with an estimated population of 59,691. Our department has between 80 and 90 sworn police officers.
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The Harrison Police Department (21 sworn officers) is using the tip411 platform as a way to help identify the two individuals in the associated photo.
