People looking to remain anonymous can now text tips to the Superior Police Department.

The Superior Police Department launched The Superior Alert Network this week. The network includes the tip411 program, created by the company Citizen Observer. It allows people to anonymously text information to police. Superior Police Sergeant Nick Alexander says the process is simple.

“The main number is tip411, that is the telephone number that they would text to. And then at the beginning of each message, it needs to start with spdtip and then whatever the tip would be and by doing that they know to funnel it to our department versus other ones. Kind of the same way that American Idol or other shows have you cast votes for different people,” said Alexander.

Alexander added that standard text messaging rates apply. He says people don’t need to worry about remaining anonymous, even though the police can text back.

“By funneling it through this company called Citizen Observer, they strip all the sender’s personal information, including the telephone number and then just forward the tip to the police department via email. Then we receive the tip. It allows us to log on to the Citizen Observer site and send a text message back to the person and to ask more questions or so on. If they choose to respond, they can but we will never know their telephone number.”

Alexander believes the program is aimed at young adults allowing them to feel comfortable assisting police. He says cities such as Detroit and Los Angeles are already using the tip411 program.

“The idea is that particularly the younger generation is very text dependant. They do a lot of communication via their cell phones and it’s just a way to reach out to that group of people and maybe solicit some information from them that we wouldn’t get otherwise.”

Alexander says the program will certainly aid the UW-Superior campus because the campus is under the umbrella of the Superior Police Department.

Only about a handful of officers including Alexander and Police Captain Chad La Lor will be reading the tips. Citizens can also report anonymously via email through the system.

Those interested in signing up for The Superior Alert Network can visit the Superior Police Department’s website at http://www.ci.superior.wi.us/index.aspx?nid=174
and click on the Anonymous Tips link.