tip411 Agency Spotlight, In The News

El Paso Creates Special Tip Keyword During Pope’s Visit to Promote tip411

The Vatican and the Catholic Diocese of El Paso announced that Pope Francis would be visiting Juárez on February 17, 2016.

During the visit, he traveled a route adjacent to the El Paso-Juárez border for a Mass scheduled at the former Juárez fairgrounds.

Due to the proximity of the motorcade route and the Mass to the U.S.-Mexico border, the City of El Paso created a special keyword to request the public’s help sharing tips related to the Pope’s visit.See the following press release from the El Paso Police Department:

Report Suspicious Activity to El Paso Police Department by Texting Keyword “POPE”

Date:  2/8/2016

EL PASO, The El Paso Police Department is seeking the public’s help by reporting suspicious activity to the Department’s Tip411 line. Tip411 allows the public to share important public safety information anonymously with the police department by sending a secure text message about crimes or suspicious activity. The Department is launching a special, keyword dedicated to the upcoming Papal visit.

If you have information of suspicious activity or a crime relating to the Pope’s upcoming visit and have a cell phone may send an anonymous tip to El Paso PD by Texting POPE and their message/tip to 847411(tip411).  Anonymous web tips can also be submitted right on the Police Department’s Facebook page or https://www.elpasotexas.gov/pope915/tip411

tip411 In The News

Troopers arrest Mattydale Man on Marijuana Charges

On January 23, 2016, state Police in North Syracuse received information from an anonymous source, via the newly established Onondaga County Tip411 hotline.

The information stated that a person, identified as James R. Corp, was selling illicit drugs and cigarettes out of his residence located at 2400 Brewerton Rd.  Information was obtained which corroborated and supported the purported allegation.

On February 10, 2016, James R. Corp, age 36, from 2400 Brewerton Road in Mattydale, NY was subsequently arrested after a vehicle and traffic stop on Wolf Street for Criminal Possession of Marijuana 4th degree, a class “A” misdemeanor after being in possession of 45 plastic bags of marijuana, which were divided up for individual sale.

Corp was issued an appearance ticket returnable to the City of Syracuse Court for February 24, 2016 at 9:30 a.m.

Read the original story from NYSPNews.com

tip411 In The News

Walker County, AL launches tip411 crime reporting app

The Walker County Sheriff’s Office now has an app called Walker Tips that lets residents report crime and remain anonymous. Citizens can send a text tip by texting WALKER plus the tip to 847411.

The project came together with help from the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, Community in Action Coalition and District Attorney Bill Adair.

The push in Walker County is to encourage people to download the free app and use it when they see a problem, from a possible drunk driver to suspicious activity.

Authorities hope this gets teens and young adults more active and reporting crime.

“It’s an easy way for them to communicate their concerns without exposing them to ridicule or peer pressure,” Judge Henry Allred said.

“This is a chance for each of us to be anonymous, completely anonymous, and still fight crime,” Tina Aaron with Community in Action Coalition said.

See Full Story

tip411 Admin Resources, Agency Spotlight

What Made for a Successful Launch in Onondaga County, NY?

To announce tip411’s arrival at 20 agencies in the Syracuse area, District Attorney William Fitzpatrick did three important things:

  1. Held a press conference and invited chiefs from local departments to attend to show their support for the system and promote its use to local media outlets.
  2. Produced posters and flyers showing agency-specific tip411 keywords that participating agencies could hand out, give to business, hang in city buildings, and use on their social media sites and webpages.
  3. Participated in ongoing promotion – Aside from the initial press conference, the DA and Syracuse Police Chief gave one-on-one interviews to media outlets in the days following the launch to assure continued coverage of the new system in order to reach more members of the public.

See More:

Video – District Attorney Fitzpatrick discusses tip411 outreach
Video -Onondaga County Lauches tip411

 

tip411 In The News

Fredericksburg police launch anonymous tip app

Members of the public have a new way to submit anonymous tips to the Fredericksburg Police Department.

The department has launched a new smartphone app that will allow tipsters to pass on information to the police.

The public can already call police with anonymous tips, or text the department at 847-411 and then text “FPDTip” and then their tip, but this opens up a third avenue.

In all three forms, the tips are sent directly to the department’s communication center. When a person sends a tip, they’ll get a confirmation message. Photos can also be submitted.

The department has not tracked the number of anonymous tips they received, but Police Spokeswoman Sarah Kirkpatrick said several hundred come in per year. Capt. Rick Pennock said tips are essential, and appreciated.

“A lot of major crimes are solved with the public’s help,” he said.

The app was launched in city schools last year as a pilot program, Kirkpatrick said.

“The school resource officers got tips about fights, drug deals, and prevented crimes from happening because of FPD Tip,” she said.

Police say the app may appeal to some people who are reluctant to phone in tips to dispatchers because those calls are recorded. The app does not require the tipster to provide any personal information.

“If they feel safe and secure in giving us a tip through an anonymous way, it’s more help,” Pennock said.

Read the full story at Fredericksburg.com