Plano PD rolls out texting service

The 350 officers in the Plano Police Department are able to cover a lot of the city, but they still rely on residents to be their eyes and ears. Now, thanks to a new program debuted last week, communicating with the police has never been easier.

Plano is the latest city to utilize the Tip411 program, which allows people to text in tips while remaining anonymous. Residents may utilize the system by texting their tip and the keyword PlanoPD to 847411 (tip411). An officer will respond, but will have no way of knowing the location or identity of the person on the other end of the line.

With texting serving as one of the most common forms of communication, Plano PD spokesman David Tilley said he believes the new tool will allow officers to speak with people who may not otherwise be apprehensive about coming forward.

"We depend on our citizens to help us keep our city safe," Tilley said. "We believe there is a group of people out there that we can reach out to that might want to become involved for whatever reason; and there are plenty of valid reasons such as fear of retaliation or not having the time or money to take off work to be a witness in a trial."

The service handles more than standard text messages. People wishing to report a suspicious person or vehicle can do so by texting a photo, which can help officers make a positive identification, Tilley said.

The system will allow people to not only report information about ongoing investigations, but also allow police to respond to incidents before they become serious.

"People will be able to report criminal activity in their neighborhood without any fear of us finding out who they are," he said. "If they are witnessing a crime [and don't think they can make a discreet phone call to 911], they can text us and no one will know whether they are texting the police or a friend."

While the program is new in Plano, the Allen Police Department has utilized it with great success since fall 2009, said Sgt. Jon Felty.

"It works very well and allows us to have a live, real-time text conversation with someone," Felty said. "We get some stuff that it is not designed for, so it is sort of a mixed bag in what we receive. I think what people like about it is that it is 24/7 and you get an answer back within a couple of minutes."

A majority of the tips that come in to Allen PD are related to narcotics, Felty said. He said these range from a resident reporting a house down the street that has suspicious activity going on to information about a drug dealer someone has come across.

"We had a case a while back where a pizza delivery guy delivered to an apartment complex and sent us an anonymous text afterward," Felty said. "The text said 'hey, I went to this apartment and I saw marijuana and all sorts of stuff. You guys need to check it out.'"

The Tip411 program is currently fully operational in Plano, but Tilley said residents need to remember it is not a substitute for 911.

"It is an easy system to use, but it is more for something that doesn't require immediate police action," Tilley said. "My only fear is that someone will need the police in an emergency and they will text, rather than call 911."

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