Law enforcement agencies across the United States are finding great success utilizing web-based community engagement software tools. These tools allow the agency to publish safety alerts to community members via email, text message, and mobile app. The public can then use these tools to submit anonymous tips back to the agency, most often via customized agency mobile apps and text messages. The agency can respond to the tipster using the same tool, creating an anonymous, two-way conversation with the tipster.

A key component of community engagement tools is the ability to alert the public about an ongoing case and request the public’s help to provide additional information regarding the case.

One example of an agency using their community engagement tool to request the public’s assistance comes from  the Panama City, Florida, Police Department. The agency used their community engagement tool to publish a public safety alert to the community, asking for help identifying a suspect wanted for credit card fraud. The alert also included images of the suspect. The agency then received multiple anonymous tips about the suspect via their community engagement tool. A few days after the alert was published, Panama City Police Department announced that the suspect was arrested thanks to several anonymous tips submitted by the public.¹

Panama City Police Department has also received anonymous tips through their community engagement tool that led to arrests in cases related to sex offender registration violations, out-of-state fugitives, hit-and-run crash investigations, probation violations, and drug paraphernalia possession.

Another example of community engagement software at work is with the Atlantic City, New Jersey, Police Department. The agency used their community engagement tool to publish a public safety alert to the community, asking for the public’s help locating a suspect wanted for shooting a man during an altercation. Two days later, after receiving critical information about the suspect from anonymous tips submitted by the public, Atlantic City Police Department was able to make arrests of two suspects and charge them both with assault and weapons crimes.²

Another key component of community engagement software tools is the ability to have instant two-way conversations with concerned community members. According to Peoria, Illinois, Police Chief Eric Echevarria,

It opens up that line of communication like never before, when you could only get a tip or get some information from a third party who would then send it to the police. This allows us to communicate back and forth anonymously.³

Peoria’s police department received 171 tips in the last four months through their system and were able to both make arrests and move forward with investigations through these anonymous tipsters.⁴

Community engagement tools also help develop a sense of trust between the community and the agency. Crestwood, Missouri, Chief Jonathan Williams said,

 [The tool is] going to be a better way for us to connect with the community, keep people informed and let them keep us informed. We are a community outreach-based organization and this is one more tool to better connect to the community. It’s exactly what we have been looking for.⁵

Crestwood Police Officer Dion Olson added,

We are such a community-oriented department. Our community comes first every day and when we put this uniform on, we pledge to do our best for Crestwood, and this app is going to be able to continue that spirit of doing our best for the community.⁶

Along with improved communication with community members, agencies want information to help reduce crime. Community engagement tools help agencies gather information that assist them close cases.

For example, anonymous tips helped the Asheville, North Carolina, Police Department make the largest single fentanyl seizure in their county’s history. Asheville Police Chief David Zack says,

After receiving information about a suspect’s involvement in drug sales in Asheville, including tips from our mobile app, our officers were able to use that information to make the arrest. This is a significant drug arrest which removes a large amount of this deadly drug from our streets, much in thanks to the support we receive from the community sharing your tips.⁷

In Parker County, Texas, tips submitted using the Parker County Sheriff mobile app led to the arrest of a suspect wanted for multiple vehicle burglaries. According to Sheriff Russ Authier,

Our Criminal Investigations Division investigators obtained the warrants for his arrest once the press release and photos were posted and tipsters contacted us with his possible identity. We received dozens of anonymous tips. Our CID investigators located and arrested the male suspect within hours. The tips submitted also helped our investigators identify and locate the female suspect. We would like to thank the public for their assistance in this case.⁸

Conclusion

Community engagement software tools help provide members of the public a safe space to get involved and do the right thing. Those who use such tools see higher levels of trust within the communities they serve and more open communication, as well as enjoy a capability to build and maintain meaningful relationships with those they serve daily.

Notes:

¹tip411, “Panama City Police Department Alert: Credit Card Theft Suspect Arrested,” January 28, 2022.

²Lynda Cohen, “Two Men Charged in Atlantic City Gunfight,” Breaking AC, December 22, 2021.

³Conor Hollingsworth, “City of Rockford Police Department Launch Anonymous Tip App,” WIFR, April 19, 2022.

⁴Hollingsworth, “City of Rockford Police Department Launch Anonymous Tip App.,”

⁵Jasmine Huda, “Information at the Speed of Light: Crestwood Police Launch tip411 App,” Fox2Now, updated February 8, 2022.

⁶Huda, “Information at the Speed of Light: Crestwood Police Launch tip411 App.”

⁷Jordan Gartner, “Police: Drug dealer Arrested with Enough Fentanyl to Kill 625K People,” WPTA21, April 2, 2022.

⁸ “Tips to New App Lead To Arrest Of 17-Year-Old Wanted For Multiple Vehicle Burglaries In Aledo,” CBS-DFW, June 3, 2021.