Source: 10 Ways Community Members Can Engage with Law Enforcement
Police department rolls out new tip alert system
The police department and Mayor Stephen Zanni are launching a new tip alert system to help improve public safety in the city.
The system, tip411, is an interactive way to keep the community connected and informed through email, text message and online public safety alerts. It will also allow the public to report crimes and other suspicious activity directly to police by sending anonymous text messages or submitting tips online or through the Methuen Police Department app.
“In a society where technology and media are so prominent in all aspects of our lives, we believe this new app will only help to increase our connection with our community members,” Chief Joseph Solomon said. “We have worked hard to notify, educate and respond to our citizens in all regards, and tip411 is another resource that helps facilitate this process.”
To use the system, residents can register to receive alerts from the police department via email or text message by signing up online. Or, they can download the Methuen Police Department app. It is through this app, developed by tip411, that residents can share anonymous tips with police and officers and respond back.
Use Social Media as a Force Multiplier
For agencies with alerting capability, did you know you can connect your tip411 system to Facebook and Twitter to have alerts post automatically to your followers without any extra work? You can also have anonymous tip forms connected to any agency Facebook page so your followers can share tips directly from social media without having to visit your website. Interested? Contact Gordy Christian today and he’ll help set you up at no extra cost.
“We use it in virtually every instance in which we ask for the public’s assistance. Even when we use another social media platforms, like Twitter, to shares suspect images, videos, etc., we ask followers to submit information using tip411. It doesn’t matter to our agency if it is a routine retail theft case or a murder investigation; we include that as a resource to the public.” – Major David Dalton, Clearwater, Florida Police
Get Administrators Trained!
Nothing is worse than having your agency receive tips that aren’t being monitored and responded to in a timely manner. Make sure your staff is adequately trained and that tips are going to personnel who will be responsible for logging in, checking on tips, and starting a 2-way conversation with the tipster.
“At first, the Crime Analysis Unit and I were the main administrators of the program. When tips came in we would farm them out to patrol, narcotics, etc. As the popularity of the system grew, we realized there was a need for 24/7 coverage because we wanted to make sure people weren’t texting us tips and then waiting for a response to come during normal business hours.” – Major David Dalton, Clearwater, Florida Police
Marion County Sheriff Starts Anonymous Tipline
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office has announced the launch of its text to tip program, tip411. Tip411 is a new way to keep the community connected and informed through email, text message and online public safety alerts. Tip411 also allows the public to report crime tips and other non-emergent suspicious activities directly to police by sending anonymous text messages from their cell phone or via a free smart phone app.
“Tip 411 is a service that allows its users to report criminal activity or suspicious circumstances anonymously,” Lt. Chris Baldridge said. “(It) is not a replacement for 911 or a call to our dispatch center during an in progress incident. This service is designed to help us gather information on the location of wanted criminals and to identify areas where criminal activity may be occurring. The new tip411 system allows our office to engage with the public and share information that will help make Marion County a safer place.”
Register to receive alerts by visiting https://tip411site.wordpress.com/sign-up-for-alerts/.
While not a replacement for dialing 911 in an emergency, those wishing to share information anonymously with police can simply text TipMCSO and their message to 847411 (tip411).
The new MCSO In The Know App for iPhone and Android from tip411 enables the public to share an anonymous tip with police and lets the officers respond back creating an anonymous two-way conversation.