residents – Page 4

January 8, 2019January 8, 2019 drivi86 In The News

New Ashland City Police Department app allows communication, anonymous tips

Ashland City residents can download an app to better communicate — even anonymously — with their local police department.

The Ashland City Council approved a contract with tip411 in September, a three-year contract covered by the police department’s budget, Chief Marc Coulon explained at the meeting.

Tip411 is a web-based tool used in law enforcement agencies, schools and coalitions, according to its website.

Ashland City’s police department “is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal” by launching the avenue for the public to find information, receive alerts from the department and submit anonymous tips. Officers can respond back and engage in conversation with the anonymous tipsters.

The free app is available to Apple and Android users, and residents can also sign up using the Town of Ashland City’s website. Those without a smartphone can also send anonymous tips by texting ACPDTIP and their message to the department to 847411 (tip411), according to a tip411 release sent by the Ashland City Police Department.

“Our mission is to reduce crime and the fear of crime through outstanding police services in partnership with the community,” Coulon said in the release. “We believe the addition of this new app will allow us to have an even deeper crime-fighting partnership with our residents.”

Coulon previously told the Times that even Cheatham County residents outside of Ashland City can use the app to send anonymous tips to the Ashland City Police Department, which can relay the tip to the correct jurisdiction.

“The Ashland City Police tip411 Mobile app will greatly improve the public’s access to agency alerts, social media channels, important information, and more to help fight crime,” tip411 President Terry Halsch said in the release. “We’ve listened to feedback from partners like (the) Ashland City Police Department and have built more advanced and innovative products to help departments better engage their communities.”

Ashland City police can also send notifications — including maps, images, links, case information, suspect or missing person information and more — to users. Those alerts can also be posted to the department’s social media accounts. Deputies will be able to log into tip411 from anywhere with internet access on any device.

Read the story from the Nashville Tennessean

January 2, 2019December 28, 2018 drivi86 In The News

Tye and Tye PD launch tip411 app for residents

The City of Tye and the Tye Police Department have announced the launch of a new app to help residents connect with the City and the police department.

Citizens will be able to find information, receive important alerts from the City and submit anonymous tips from their smartphones.

The Tye PD app is available for download for free via Google Play Store, the iTunes App Store or by visiting the Tye Police Department website at CityofTye.org/PoliceDept .

“Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Tye by working in partnership with the community.” Chief Jay Strong of the Tye Police Department said. “We believe our new Tye PD app from tip411 will help make it safer and easier for residents to share information with us to increase safety in our community and receive important information from the city.”

The new app allows the public to share anonymous tips with police and lets officers respond back to create an anonymous two-way conversation. Residents can also register to receive important public safety alerts, information about road closures, water leaks, weather and more, via email or text message.

The app and tip411 anonymous text-a-tip system are 100 percent anonymous with technology removing all identifying information before police see the tips, leaving no way to identify the sender.

Residents in Tye without a smartphone can share information with police by sending an anonymous text tip via their cellphone to police by texting keyword TYEPD and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411).

Anonymous web tips can also be submitted through the department’s website at CityofTye.org/PoliceDept

October 3, 2018December 28, 2018 drivi86 In The News

Northampton sheriff: New app for crime alerts and tips

A new app alerts Northampton residents to crimes or other incidents — and it also allows users to send in crime tips or report unusual activity to the Sheriff’s Office anonymously.

Northampton Sheriff David Doughty announced the free Tip 411 app is available to the public.

“We are working every day to continue to strengthen our relationship with the community,” said Doughty, adding, “It has been my mission since day one as your sheriff to make Northampton County as safe as it can be.”

The app is “a great way for our citizens to become involved with helping us make Northampton County a safe place to live, work, play and raise our families,” Doughty said.

The free app can be downloaded from Apple’s App Store or the Google Play Store by searching Northampton Sheriff.

Residents also can send tips from a computer or tablet by going to http://www.tip411.com/agencies/northamptoncosheriff/groups/21736

Additionally, tips can be called in to the tip line at 757-678-0458, or texted to 847411, beginning the message with “NCSO,” according to a press release.

The app is not intended to replace calling 911 or to be used in emergencies.

The Sheriff’s Office also has partnered with the county school district to provide the app to enable students to send anonymous tips to school resource officers, school administrators, or other authorized personnel.

“The app will give students a way to anonymously communicate with school officials and law enforcement on issues that pose a threat to the safety of their fellow students, teachers and staff,” according to the release.

Read the full story from the Salisbury Daily Times

September 17, 2018September 18, 2018 drivi86 In The News

Crime reporting app Tip411 coming soon to Ashland City

Ashland City residents will soon be able to submit anonymous tips and receive communications from the local police department using an app.

The Ashland City Council approved the Tip411 contract at its meeting Tuesday, locking in a three-year contract at $4,800, covered in the police department’s budget, Chief Marc Coulon said at the meeting.

Tip411 is used in more than 1,400 communities nationwide, according to the web-based tool’s website. That includes local, county, state and federal agencies, and even schools.

Tip411 “helps agencies engage community members of all ages by enabling anyone with a cell phone to submit tips via a smartphone app or text anonymous tips that can be responded to in real time by authorized personnel in the agency or organization,” it states.

Coulon said even Cheatham County residents outside of Ashland City can use the app to send tips to the Ashland City Police Department anonymously, and the department can relay those tips to the appropriate jurisdiction.

Citizens can also include image and video files to their web, text message or app tips to provide more specific information to Ashland City police, according to Tip411’s scope of services. The department will follow up on tips and will be able to respond to the anonymous tipster, archiving conversations.

Tip411 will assist the department in adding “submit a tip” and “sign up for alerts” buttons on the department’s website and social media pages, among other things.

Deputies will be able to log into Tip411 from anywhere with internet access on any device.

Coulon guessed that the service would be available to the public in about three weeks to a month.

Read the story from the Tennessean.

*This story incorrectly states the contract is for $3,600.

August 27, 2018September 18, 2018 drivi86 In The News

Rockland District Attorney’s Office tips411 app: What are tipsters reporting?

The Rockland County District Attorney’s tip411 app has been downloaded hundreds of times in its first six months and has generated dozens of tips from all corners of the county, some leading to arrests.

The app lets smartphone users send anonymous tips about suspected crime, drugs, vehicle and traffic concerns, suspicious activity and other quality of life issues to their local police department with officers able to respond, creating a two-way chat.

The app’s settings allow users to receive alerts about reported crime on a countywide basis or in just their own towns. Users can also submit posts, photos and video from social media.

VIDEO: Rockland DA announces new tip411 app for anonymous tipsters

ROCKLAND: Law enforcement unveils anonymous tip texting app

One tip led to a shared investigation between the county Narcotics Task Force and Ramapo police that resulted in a pair of arrests for cocaine, marijuana and a stun gun.

Three arrests for outstanding warrants also came as a result of tips through the app, said Capt. Brendan Donohue of the District Attorney’s Office Detective Bureau, who oversees the program.

“It’s a great way people can report on things without having their name exposed and they can help fight crime,” Donohue said. “They’re really partners with the police, that’s the whole idea,”

Dohohue said the majority of the tips have been for suspected crimes like drug deals on the streets or complaints like speeding or stop signs being ignored in specific neighborhoods.

“We can use our resources to put cars in those areas,” he said.

District Attorney Tom Zugibe said the app takes the fear out of reporting suspected crime because law enforcement cannot trace the users’ identity.

Read the full story from Rockland/Westchester Journal News