In an increasing trend police departments across the United States are using text messages to help fight crime. Various police departments have set up a text message service that allows citizens to report any crimes that they see.

 

According to Eastern Cherokee tribal police chief Ben Reed, who recently implemented a text-based tip system, the texts are often vague, with messages like “people selling drugs downtown.” After receiving a text, police officials can then begin a conversation with informants to learn more, while allowing the tipster to stay anonymous.

“What makes (it) unique for anonymous reporting is that our agency can respond back to the tipster and ask specific questions to try to get as much information as possible,” Reed said. “If the tipster does not want to be contacted, there are instructions sent to them to prevent any further communication, all while remaining anonymous.”

The system that the Cherokee Tribal Police have implemented cost $3,000 to implement and is operated by CrimeReports, a Utah based company. The company hosts more than 1,600 of these services for police departments across the United States.

These text message systems were first introduced in 2007 in Boston and Cincinnati, and have since become increasingly common. This year several smaller police departments will implement a text based tip system including those in Apex, North Carolina and Colorado Springs, Colorado.

According to Ashville’s Citizen Times, police are turning to text messages as a result of the increasing use of cellular phones and the decreasing use of pay phones.Police departments have long had anonymous hotlines in place, and text messages are the technological upgrade to these hotlines.

Police Chief Reed said, “The popularity of text messaging has created a significant opportunity for the public to help law enforcement agencies fight crime to help keep our community safe.”