Crime tip line
admin In The News

New crime tip line launched in Bennington County

A new tool will help put the power to fight crime in the palm of Bennington County residents’ hands.

An anonymous tip reporting program, powered by a free smartphone app, has been launched through the Bennington County Sheriff Department and The Collaborative. The app will help residents submit anonymous tips to law enforcement agencies, as well as receive alerts with their smartphone, according to Detective Sgt. Lloyd Dean.

Details of the new initiative were discussed at a press conference at the sheriff’s headquarters Monday morning. The free smartphone app is available for Android and iPhone mobile devices.

Dean said among the crimes the department and Collaborative are encouraging people to send tips for include burglaries, illegal drug activity, a party where underage youth are consuming alcohol, and bullying.

The initiative is one piece of a grant-funded partnership program to combat substance abuse, said Victoria Silsby with The Collaborative’s substance prevention program. The Collaborative is the lead organization for the five-year federally funded partnership program; funding is funneled from the state Department of Health.

“We think this county-wide approach sends a clear message that Bennington County is committed to reducing substance use and engages in substance use prevention initiatives,” she said.

Minnesota-based CitizenObserver created the tip411 tool, according to the company’s website. Law enforcement, schools, call centers and emergency management in over 1,000 communities use the company’s tools.

The app users should download here is called “BenningtonCo Sheriff” in the Android and iPhone app stores; it comes up with a search of “tip411 Bennington.” Once downloaded, a user can send a completely anonymous tip to an account that’s monitored through the sheriff’s department.

Read the full story from the Bennington Banner

Coatesville Police tip411
admin In The News

Police make arrest in hate graffiti with help from tip411

City police say they’ve arrested a city man in connection with a series of Neo-Nazi inspired hate graffiti incidents in the city and in neighboring Valley.

George F. Rissell, 24, was taken into custody after police received an anonymous tip via a smart phone app, combined with images from various surveillance cameras near where the incidents took place. With that information, police were able to zero in on the suspect’s vehicle and his identity.

The accused was arrested and charged with multiple counts of ethnic intimidation and criminal mischief, and arraigned before Magistrate Gill at 2140 hours. The accused was remanded to Chester County Prison in lieu of $150,000.00 cash bail.

Police said that Rissell has claimed past association with with supremacy and hate groups.

Various locations — including a car — were vandalized with hate messages and various White Supremacist/Neo-Nazi codes late Tuesday night, bringing widespread condemnation.

Read the full story in The Times of Chester County.

admin In The News

New app encourages people to anonymously report crime

For Hamden Police, it is another step in helping to bridge the gap between police officers and the communities they protect. A new smartphone app called tip411 lets smartphone users submit crime tips anonymously.

“Often I’ll be in meetings and hear people say like I did yesterday, well, I didn’t want to bother the police. I heard from somebody else well, I want to be anonymous and I didn’t want to get involved so to speak,” said Hamden Chief of Police Thomas Wydra.

 Wydra said the goal of the department is to connect with everyone in the town but realizes certain groups of people are hesitant to engage. Officers believe the app will encourage people to alert them of suspicious activity.

“We wanna reach people who ordinarily might not be willing to engage with us for a variety of reasons. That includes kids, people whose immigration status may be in jeopardy or some other process they don’t want to engage the local police. This is another way for them to reach us,” said Wydra.

Read the full story and see the video from News 8 – WTNH.

LaSalle-Peru anonymous tips
admin In The News

LaSalle-Peru school safety measure introduces anonymous tips

LaSalle-Peru Township High School (LPHS) has launched an anonymous tip system for the new school year that will allow the community to report situations via text message or through an app, according to a release from the school.

The school has employed tip411, a tool created by Citizen Observer, which will facilitate anonymous two-way conversations. Those wishing to use the system can download the LP tip411 app, available for both iPhone and Android, in order to submit messages, photos and videos. The system is also accessible through text message. Users can direct their tip to 847411, starting the message with “CAVALIERS.”

According to LPHS, the tips are completely anonymous; all information that could identify a user is stripped before the message is sent to authorities. Tips sent through tip411 are sent and received in real time. The system is already in place in more than 1,200 communities throughout the country.

The school noted that it has implemented the tip system in a bid to keep students, staff and visitors as safe as possible, and that it believes tip411 will better enable communication and the speed with which the school can address situations.

See the full story in the Illinois Valley Times

new tip411 app Hamden Police
admin In The News

New ‘tip411’ app to let the public help Hamden police anonymously

A new smartphone app will let town residents be part of the police force, allowing allow anyone who downloads it to send anonymous tips and get alerts about crime in the community.

The Legislative Council this week approved funds for the police department to purchase the app.

“We know people are scared or intimidated,” Police Chief Thomas Wydra said. “This is the perfect tool to overcome that fear. It’s a way to encourage people to engage with us.”

The app, called tip411, lets a user submit crime tips anonymously, which alleviates a fear some have of getting involved with police. A user also can include photos or video.

Another feature allows the department to send out alerts to the community about crimes in the area. The alerts can be categorized by type of crime and can be directed at particular communities and neighborhoods. Through the app, a person with information can also add a tip to a specific alert.

“We want to connect with everybody, but certain groups are timid,” Wydra said. He said he is thinking specifically about schoolchildren and people with questionable immigration status who may have a heightened fear of interacting with police. “The app reaches them,” he said.

Read the full story in the New Haven Register