Waltham Police Unveil Online Tip System

The are stepping up their digital efforts to fight crime.

Users can now submit anonymous tips via text message, Facebook and a Web site. The tip submission system, known as Tip411, is powered by technology made by a Minnesota-based CitizenObserver, which creates crime-fighting tools for law enforcement agencies.

“CitizenObserver’s technology removes all identifying information before the department sees it so there’s no way to identify the sender.  It is truly 100 percent anonymous, yet still allows us to open a dialogue with the citizens,” said Waltham Police Chief Thomas Lacroix in a press release.

“This new capability will help our citizens play an active role in keeping neighborhoods safer, it will engage a younger demographic in the process, and it will save our agency time and resources,” LaCroix said. “We’re proud to be part of a national program that brings policing into the 21st century.”

Cell phone users can send tips to police by addressing them to "tip411" and Facebook users can click “Submit on an anonymous tip,” on the department’s Facebook page., but they must ‘like’ the page first. Tips can also be submitted on the department’s Web site by clicking on “Submit a tip” at the top right corner.

“When someone feels afraid to come forward, or simply feels like they don’t want to get involved, this can be a great way to pass information on without fear of retribution,” Lacroix said.