Ashland City Police new logo
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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

Inver Grove Heights Police Cruiser
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Inver Grove Heights PD Launches New Text Tip Tool

In a day when technology reigns, the Inver Grove Heights Police Department decided to turn to the devices that are almost always attached to people’s hands to help fight crime.

The department announced via its Facebook page Nov. 7 it will utilize Tip411, a program that allows folks to submit tips the way many communicate most — via text message.

Utilizing phones

Chief Paul Schnell said the program has been around for a number of years and is used by agencies in Minnesota and across the country.

“We know simply that we have a texting culture and people want to provide information, but one of the things that keeps some people from reporting or calling or providing information is the fact that they’re concerned about their anonymity,” he said.

Tip411 allows people to send texts that get filtered through an automated system. Schnell said the department doesn’t know who sent the tip — it can be text or a picture — and the system allows the department to communicate back to the tipster.

The day the post was made about the new feature, Schnell said the department received a useful tip through it. Someone let police know about a dump truck that was stolen from a business on Concord Street. The truck had also pulled down wires.

The department was able to communicate back with the tipster and verify the information. The tipster, however, never had to identify themself.

Tip411 is a product of St. Paul-based Citizen Observer. Schnell said he has used the system in other communities like Hastings and Maplewood, where it helped the department identify a homicide suspect and solve the case.

Use in the schools

Schnell said ISD 199 is also launching the Tip411 program, with the aim of improving school safety at the middle and high schools.

Superintendent Dave Bernhardson said the program was brought to the school’s attention by Schnell.

“Once we had that dialogue, we felt it was a very, very good opportunity for both of us to partner to get great information and obtain information from our kids, when needed,” said Bernhardson.

He said the district hopes students use the new tool as a safe space to communicate with officials about things that are concerning them.

“There seems, I guess we’ll find out, an unlimited amount of things that they can communicate, because in the end we want to make sure everything is as safe as possible for our kids,” Bernhardson said.

Schnell said Tip411 could be a mechanism for someone to report if they know of another student bringing a weapon to school. It could also be used for other things like reporting bullying or a student worried about another student talking about suicide.

“Ultimately, what it does is help create a safer school environment by getting good information to administrators to vet and sort through, and ultimately identify solutions,” Schnell said.

Bernhardson added any information gleaned over Tip411 would need to be confirmed, so he sees it as no different than other means of communication.

Read the full story from LillieNews.com

Augusta Police
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Augusta police say there is no ‘direct threat’ after anonymous Cony High School tip

City police said school operations will carry on as usual on Thursday after an anonymous tip alluding to “a possible threat of violence involving a firearm and Cony High School” late Wednesday night.

“There did not appear to be any direct threats, however due to the nature of this incident, (police) immediately identified the Augusta juvenile, and embarked in an extensive investigation into the alleged threats,” Deputy Chief Kevin Lully wrote in a Thursday morning press release. “(Police) are working in conjunction with the school, parent and the student involved, all of whom are working very cooperatively with Police.”

Lully said police were in contact with the juvenile “within an hour” after the tip was received at about 10 p.m. He said there were no charges being considered “at this time” against the juvenile.

Lully told the Kennebec Journal that the threat was not leveled against a specific student, but the school in general. Despite the reported threat, he wrote in the release that “Augusta Schools continue to be safe for all users at this time.”

No additional police presence is expected at the school on Thursday, Lully said, but officers will be “highly visible” if students, staff, visitors or parents have questions about the incident.

According to police reports, a report of terrorizing was investigated on Tracy Street at 10:32 p.m.

The Augusta Police Department would like to thank the administration at Cony High and all our community partners for assisting us so we could bring this incident to closure as soon as possible.

The anonymous tip was communicated through the new mobile application, “Tip411,” that was launched earlier this month.

View the full story from the Kennebec Journal

More School Safety Measures
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tip411 Part of Push for More School Safety Measures in McKinney, Texas

McKinney ISD Superintendent Rick McDaniel and McKinney Mayor George Fuller held a town hall meeting with the public Wednesday night to discuss concerns and suggestions related to the safety and security of children at MSID.

“We got a lot of what we hoped for,” Fuller said, referring to personal observations from those outside the district as well.

Much of the discussion focused on what safety measures the district currently has in place, including the number of new security cameras across the district.

MISD also has Crisis Counselors dedicated to bullying on campuses and a Tip 411 line, which allows students to anonymously report if they hear rumors or concerns about safety and security.

Read the full story from Community Impact Newspaper

Keep your school safe tip411
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tip411 Can Help Students Keep Their Schools Safe

Like many of you, the recent tragedy in Parkland, Florida has left us wondering what more we can do to help protect our kids in school.

While there’s no easy solution, we believe tip411 can help students to more effectively share information anonymously with administrators and/or law enforcement.

tip411 School Edition enables students to send anonymous tips to Administrators, School Resource Officers (SROs), and other authorized personnel who can respond to the tips in real time from any internet connected device, creating a two way anonymous chat.

It provides a “safe space” for students to communicate with authority figures through two-way anonymous communications that facilitate dialogue, leading to more accurate information.

“Our SRO’s have great relationships with many students, but tip411 allows our SRO’s to build relationships with students they have not yet been able to reach. tip411 also promotes kids being responsible for the safety of their schools and having them take that kind of ownership is priceless.” – McKinney Independent School District’s Director of Safety, Greg Hill

Many communities across the US have begun to use tip411 to improve school safety, and examples of how they’ve use it can be found here:

We encourage you to contact us for a free demo of tip411 School Edition and examples from across the US where our solutions have been implemented to empower students to help protect their schools.