New App Makes Tipping Police Easier

New App Makes Tipping Police Easier

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Ohio Homeland Security announced Friday the launch of an app designed to make it easier to send tips to law enforcement.

21945079_m featureThe free Safer Ohio app is the latest crime tip submission app that allows users to send a note or a picture of suspicious activity to state Homeland Security analysts anytime, but officials hope it will be most useful during large-scale events, like the upcoming Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.

The public’s reporting of suspicious activity is one of our best defenses against terrorist threats and our greatest resource to building resilience,” John Born, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, said in a press release. “An aware and engaged public that understands what constitutes unusual and suspicious behavior is essential to protecting our communities. And this function of the application gives citizens one more way to share this vital information.”

Once downloaded, the app prompts the user to enter in a name and the number of the phone used to launch the app. The home page gives users the option to call 9-1-1 for an emergency, send for an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper or send a tip using a “See something, send something” feature.

iHLS – Israel Homeland Security

The release said users’ personal information is protected by patent-pending privacy software used by the app’s developer, My Mobile Witness. Tips are geo-tagged when they’re submitted, but law enforcement does not actively track a user’s location, according to the app’s frequently asked questions.

The app immediately removes photos submitted as tips from the sender’s phone “to protect potential evidence and proper chain of custody.” The app is free and available for download on Android and iPhone.