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

Leander PD launches crime fighting app

The Leander Police Department announced their new app that allows the community to anonymously share any public safety concerns directly to the police.

The app created by tip411 will send a secure message from your smart phone to LPD about any suspicious or criminal activity.

In a press release officers said they hope this will become a powerful tool for the community to fight-crime.

“The Leander Police Department understands that fighting crime takes a working partnership with the community. We cannot be everywhere at every moment so we rely on the members of the community to be our eyes and ears,” said Police Chief Greg Minton. “We know that the members of our community are our greatest resource.”

Read the complete story from the KXAN.

tip411 In The News

Tipping made easy

Last year, the Clinton Police Department rolled out an anonymous texting service that opened another avenue for citizens to report suspicious activity and incidents the agency could use to solve crimes. Now, through its own phone app, the department is making that process even easier — and more visual.

The ‘tipcpd’ app is available for free through the App Store on Apple and Android phones, and allows for quick and anonymous submission of tips from local citizens. As with the existing texting service, residents will be able to text back and forth with local law enforcement while remaining completely unknown to officers.

“We implemented it last year as just the texting of anonymous tips,” Police Capt. Donald Edwards said this week. “We’ve had some pretty good success and got tips on many cases. We’re excited about this new feature because it opens up the door for the ease of sending messages and the ability to attach pictures.”

The new app is an expansion of Tip411, a high-tech system that allows for anonymous texting of tips. Unrolled last summer, the Tip411 system has been utilized approximately 30 times for anonymous tips, ranging from those on murders to what Edwards called “day-to-day complaints,” which can be suspicious activity or other incidents where someone does not want to call 911.

Read the rest of the story in the Sampson Independent.