A new app on your smartphone will help Columbia Falls residents and police work closer together.
The Columbia Falls Police Department is partnering with tip411 to create a new Columbia Falls PD app.
The app will allow Columbia Falls residents to connect with police, find information and submit anonymous tips from their smartphone. Columbia Falls Police Chief Clint Peters says the apps are available for both iPhone and Android and is free and easy to download.
“If you have an apple phone or an android it doesn’t matter the app is there," said Peters. "If you can’t find it simply just search Columbia Falls Police Department, hit search, it’s the … (first) thing that pops up, it has our badge on there easily identifiable, download it and you can see the tips and you can see how you to communicate back and forth once you gave a tip.”
Based out of Minnesota, tip411 have been in business for more than 20 years, serving 1,800 jurisdictions across the country. This includes law enforcement, schools and the United States Air Force.
Tip411 account manager Logan Buhr said the app allows residents to remain totally anonymous while providing police tips. “Have a two-way conversation with law enforcement officials while protecting their identity and provide what information they have to help make their community safer."
Chief Peters says the department has been working for more than sixc months to implement and train for the new app. He added the simple to use smart phone application allows younger generations easier access to communicate with law enforcement.
“This gives people an opportunity to reach out. We’re reaching out through media ... already. This is just another avenue that maybe we can get that younger generation, that this is how they communicate, this is how we figure we can best reach them,” said Peters.
Anonymous web tips can also be submitted through Columbia Falls Police Departments website . Residents without a smartphone can share information with police by sending an anonymous text tip via their cell phone by texting keyword CFPD -- and their tip -- to 847411.