Tips can now be sent to the department through a new app from tip411 called the Badlands Crime Stoppers app, which is available for free through both the Google Play Store and iTunes App Store.
“This seems to be something that was going to help make the organization more alluring for our community. Ease of access – download on your phone, just hit the button on it … as opposed to remembering numbers and things like that,” said Sgt. Kylan Klauzer, program coordinator of Badlands Crime Stoppers.
In addition to allowing members of the public to send the department tips, it acts as a one stop shop for police department information.
“It’s got links that will get you to the Dickinson Police Department web page, Facebook page and other social media platforms that down the road, we can implement … The big one from this that the board of directors paid for through some donations from the community … when we need to push alerts out, we can push alerts through the application,” Klauzer said.
Anyone with the app will receive alerts to their phone. The app also allows for two-way communication between the tipster and the police.
A press release from tip411 states that the system is 100% anonymous and that the system removes all identifying information, leaving no way to identify the sender, before the tip is sent to the police.
“Sometimes people have their own issues with calling the police department, even if it’s on a non-emergency line … This is just another good way hopefully we can make people feel more comfortable in providing information and knowing that their identity is anonymous,” Klauzer said.
He highly encourages members of the community to download the app to get information flowing as freely as possible.
Those without a smartphone can still share information with police by sending an anonymous tip via text message texting BADLANDSTIP and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411) or by submitting tips through the department’s website at www.DickinsonPD.com.
Dickinson Police Chief Dustin Dassinger said in a press release, “Our continuing goal is to make the city of Dickinson a safe place in which to live, work and play. We believe our new Badlands Crime Stoppers app from tip411 will help greatly enhance our ability to deliver on that mission by engaging our community to help fight crime.”
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