There’s drug activity. A neighbor is committing insurance fraud. There’s fear someone has been abused.
Do the right thing and report it to police via text message, or think twice?
Will the police track the text and turn up demanding more information?
Will the identity or phone number of the person providing the tip get out and criminals will track them down?
The answer to all is “no,” authorities said.
With the new “tip411” system introduced by the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, not even a subpoena can help.
Throughout New Jersey, police use different systems to ask for the public ‘s help in solving crimes, but many who have valuable information are still wary.
“We believe the public is our greatest law enforcement resource,” said Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan Thursday. “Tip411 allows a safe and secure way for community members to share important information with police without fear or retribution. By providing this service to each department, citizens can communicate with their own department to collectively solve crimes in their communities.”
How sure can someone be that they will remain anonymous?
Chief of County Detectives Brian Facemyer said that when a text is sent via tip411, all identifying information is removed before the information is forwarded to individual police departments.
Subpoenas have even been issued in an attempt to find information on tipsters, but to no avail.
“Completely anonymous,” Pennsville Chief of Police Allen J. Cummings emphasized.
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