CINCINNATI -- Police have a new free app available to let them alert residents to crimes and other situations, and for residents to send in tips.
The Cincinnati Police Department's app is available now from Apple's app store and the Google Play store.
The app provides residents with neighborhood-specific crime alerts created by detectives and officers in the field, Police Chief Eliot Isaac said. Police can also use the app to send alerts about other situations like floods and road closures, he said.
Residents can also use the app to submit anonymous tips to police, including photos and videos, Isaac said. After making a tip, residents will be able to communicate anonymously with police.
"We have a new generation of adults, and they use more social media than ever before, so ... we're getting more information that way,"Isaac said. "And I think as we continue to work on building great relationships, that's the opportunity to get more information coming in as well."
The app will also contain a "library" of other information, Isaac said. Residents will be able to access real-time crime information for the city or specific neighborhoods.
Isaac said the app is not a replacement for the city's "Fix it Cincy!" app for public services requests or Crime Stoppers for tipsters to report crimes, just another tool for authorities to use. He also reiterated that residents should sign up for the city's new Smart911 system on Smart911.com.