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SFPD to roll out anonymous text-tip program to expand community reporting
Summary
SFPD presented a planned text-tip system (Citizen Observer) that will allow anonymous texting to a monitored operations center; department expects training and implementation within weeks and said tips will be triaged to dispatch or investigative units.
The San Francisco Police Department told the Police Commission on Aug. 5 it will launch a text-tip program allowing community members to send anonymous tips by text message to a monitored operations center.
Lieutenant Miller described the system (Citizen Observer), saying that it preserves texter anonymity via an independent server and can route tips immediately to dispatch, investigations or district stations. "This program will be monitored by our operations center 24 hours a day," Miller said. The system can also send crime alerts to voluntary subscribers in a district and be integrated with the department’s website.
Miller said the system is web-based, will allow staff to text back to ask follow-up questions, and can be configured to forward tips to specific area units or mobile devices. He said implementation and short departmental training could begin within one to two weeks.
Commissioners asked technical questions (computer users, alternate messaging); Miller said the primary interface is a phone-number-to-text solution but that web-based texting also will be supported. The commission did not take further immediate action beyond receiving the briefing.
