tip411 In The News

New app lets Cumberland residents tip law enforcement anonymously

Cumberland County residents have a new tool to help law enforcement.

The Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday unveiled “CCPOTIP,” a free app through which residents can provide anonymous information to authorities.

Android and iPhone users can text messages to authorities at the Prosecutor’s Office, police department in Bridgeton, Millville and Vineland, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department, and State Police at their Bridgeton or Port Norris stations. Authorities can text back and seek additional information.

“You, the tipster, will decide if you want to provide more information or if you want to end the texting conversation,” Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae said during a news conference at Police Department headquarters here. “The entire conversation remains anonymous.”

Webb-McRae said the app could make it easier for people who fear retaliation for helping police.

“That fear, in some instances, is very real,” she said.

Read the full story from The Press of Atlantic City.

tip411 In The News

Southwest Metro Drug Task Force seeks tips by app and text

A suburban drug task force is the latest Minnesota law enforcement agency to use texting and mobile apps to attract would-be tipsters.

Last week, the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force activated its “SWMTip” app, powered by St. Paul-based technology company tip411, for residents to submit anonymous tips and photos from their smartphones.

Phil Nawrocki, a Scott County Sheriff’s Office commander, said the first tip arrived within a day of launching the app. The task force joined more than 30 other Minnesota agencies using tip411 after noting how often it gathered information from mobile photos or text messages, Nawrocki said.

“Rather than have the individual go back home, sit down and try to find our e-mail address and contact info, they have a cellphone in their hand that can directly send confidential information to us,” Nawrocki said.

The Southwest Metro Drug Task Force covers Scott, Carver and McLeod counties as well as the cities of Excelsior, Greenwood, Shorewood and Tonka Bay.

Tip411’s apps keep tipsters anonymous by assigning them a six-character alias to be used when communicating with authorities, said tip411 President Terry Halsch. The company also has a “text-a-tip” system that is used by roughly 1,400 agencies around the country, he said.

Read the full story from the Star Tribune…

tip411 In The News

Announcing the New tip411 Mobile

tip411, a web-based toolset that helps law enforcement engage community members of all ages, has announced the introduction of its tip411 Mobile app as part of its new tip411 Pro subscription option for customers.

“We’ve listened to feedback from departments across the US and have built a more advanced, more innovative product to help police better engage their communities,” said tip411 President Terry Halsch. “With tip411 Mobile, departments can now customize the experience for their residents, share important information, and help the public join in the crime-fighting effort by easily submitting anonymous tips.”

Used in over 1,400 communities throughout the U.S., tip411 enables anyone with a cell phone to text anonymous tips to authorized personnel within an agency. Tips sent by the public are received in real-time and can be responded to in seconds via an interface that allows for secure web and text-based conversations.

Smartphone users can also download free apps to submit tips from their iPhone or Android, and now, with tip411 Pro, departments can create a custom, branded tip411 Mobile app for their agency.

“tip411 has been an important tool for our department and community over the last two years,” said Assistant Chief Todd Milburn of the Brooklyn Park, MN Police Department. “Being one of the first agencies to use the new tip411 Mobile app is exciting and will no doubt greatly benefit our residents and public safety in our community.”

Released in 2014, tip411 Version 7.0 was an internal update for departments that helped streamline anonymous tip delegation and escalation, community alert creation, publication, and social media connections, and provided a user-friendly administrative dashboard with enhanced reporting features to view key agency metrics.

Building off the success of the new version, tip411 Mobile significantly improves the public’s access to their police department by allowing residents to not only submit tips, but access agency alerts, social media channels, important information, and more to help fight crime from the palm of their hand.

“The tip411 system is essential to modern policing,” said Chief Anthony Holloway of the St. Petersburg, Florida Police Department. “I’ve used this system during my time as chief in Somerville, MA, Clearwater, FL, and now in St. Petersburg, and I truly believe this tool empowers officers and the community to engage in ways that were not possible before.”

Departments looking to improve their connection with the community now have more flexibility with three subscription levels: tip411 Basic, tip411 Bundle, and the new tip411 Pro which features the tip411 Mobile app.

To learn more about tip411 and how it’s helping agencies engage and interact with the public, visit www.tip411.com, watch this short video, and visit tip411 at Booth 3619 during this week’s IACP Conference in Chicago.

tip411 In The News

New app links directly to drug task force

The Southwest Metro Drug Task Force now allows the public to share important public safety information anonymously by sending a secure message and/or photos about narcotics activity within the communities of Carver, McLeod, and Scott counties, and South Lake Minnetonka via a free smartphone app.

Developed by tip411,the SWMTip App can be downloaded for free via the Google Play Store, and iTunes App Store.

“We believe the public is our greatest law enforcement resource,” said Commander Phil Nawrocki of Southwest Metro Drug Task Force. “Our new SWMTip App, along with our existing tip411 anonymous text a tip system, will help our residents play a more active role in keeping the communities within Carver, McLeod, and Scott counties, and South Lake Minnetonka safe.”

Like the department’s existing tip411 anonymous text a tip system, the new SWMTip App from tip411 enables the public to share an anonymous tip with the Southwest Metro Drug Task Force and lets the agents respond back, creating an anonymous two-way conversation.

Read the full story in the Chanhassen Villager.

tip411 In The News

See something unlawful or troubling? Text TIP411

Have you heard about TIP 411 available in Northfield and Rice County? The Rice County Sheriff’s Office, the Rice County Chemical Health Coalition, the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol and Drug Use and the Northfield Police, are getting the word out about the TIP411 program through posters, flyers, postcards, and a public service announcement.

TIP 411 is a way for people to report concerning behavior or activities without having to provide any identifying information. Often community members don’t want to report illegal or risky activity for fear of getting involved. Through the TIP411 program, law enforcement agencies across Rice County can accept 100% anonymous crime tips via cell phone text messages. This resource allows community members to reach out for help when they feel that their safety is threatened, or when they are concerned for their family, friends and neighbors.

Community members can use TIP411 to report information related to crime, drugs, fights, underage drinking, threats, violence, vandalism, theft, drunk drivers, weapons, gangs and people in trouble. To text a tip, simply start a new text message. Type 847411 in the phone number spot. Type the keyword RICECO in the message portion of the text. Type the specific crime information after the keyword and hit send.

Messages are sent to Citizen Observer, Inc. and stripped of all identifying information. A local officer receives the message and determines whether Faribault Police, Northfield Police, or the Rice County Sheriff’s Office will follow up.

Read the full column from Northfield News and watch a public service announcement about Rice County’s tip411 system.