The Casper Police Department is using a new approach to get crime tips. The department has added a text message reporting system and smartphone app crime reporting services.
People can now send a text message to a special number with Casper as the first word of their message followed by the information they’d like to report. If the user has an Apple or Android smartphone, they can download the TipSubmit app to report crime. The app offers users the option to send pictures and G.P.S information to police.
Lieutenant Steve Freel with the Casper police department says the services are offered through third party software that removes the user’s information to protect their identity. He says the software even allows police departments to reward citizens for valuable information while preserving their anonymity.
“It takes all their identifiers off of the information, puts a number in place of a name.” says Freel, “If the tip pans out to solve a crime, they would go back to the third party vendor with number and be able to get the reward back to the tipster.”
Casper Police will still accept crime tips via their hot line and Crime Stoppers website.