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The Takoma Park Police Department has initiated a new method of communication for residents interested in providing anonymous tips for crimes and incidents in the city using text messages.
Citing popularity of texting among city middle and high schoolers, as well as the department's desire to reach out to this age group, police spokeswoman Cathy Plevy called the new program, "another eyes and ears tool for the city of Takoma Park to create a safer community." The program is free and unlimited, as well as completely anonymous, Plevy added in a presentation to the City Council Monday.
"It's monitored by a company called ‘CitizenObserver' and the technology they use removes all identifying information [about] the sender," she said. "It only has a tip number with an ID number next to it ... and we can still reconnect with that person through the ID number."
If residents see a crime or would otherwise like to provide information to the police without becoming involved and potentially endangered, they can now type in 847411 (or "tip411") and then type "TPPDTIP" before their message, according to a police press release.
CitizenObserver, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based Internet company, provides Tip411 services to police and public safety agencies in 27 different states, according to the release.
Chief Ronald Ricucci also showed a great enthusiasm for the new tool – as well as a bit of his age.
"Everybody seems to be texting today; I went to a wedding Friday night and they're sitting at the table texting each other across the room," he said with a laugh. "That's what young people do today."
Ricucci is hopeful that the new Tip411 program will help the police resolve a number of crimes in the city, including identifying suspects and leads in the recent rash of break-ins and thefts from vehicles that spiked the department's crime statistics two weeks ago.
Despite the line's obvious benefits in increasing communication between the community and police, Ricucci and Plevy cautioned that the tip line should not be viewed as a substitute for reporting serious crimes in progress. Plevy urged residents to continue dialing 911 to reach police in an emergency.