A new app has gone online from the Vilas County Sheriff's Department that will allow tips to the department to come in much faster than current methods.
Chief Deputy Patrick Schmidt says it builds better interaction with the community and speeds up the process of getting information to law enforcement. He says the anonymous tip lines often are slower than the new app.
"The ability with the app that was developed for us is that we get the information in real time. The people can download the app They submit a tip whether it is a picture or video or information and it immediately comes to one of the command staff here at the Sheriff's office...."
Schmidt says like other crime tip lines, you don't have to reveal your identity...
"It's 100 percent anonymous. The only thing we see on our site is a random numbers and letters. The only reason we do that so we keep that together so we don't get different tips mixed up..."
Schmidt says the new app will enable the Department to respond much quicker to information.
Residents in Vilas County without a smartphone can send an anonymous text tip via their cell phone to police by texting keyword VILAS and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411). Anonymous web tips can also be submitted through the department’s website at www.vilascountysheriff.org The app was developed by tip411