Quick Links

Mobile Security Industry News

[January 23, 2013]

Crime prevention expert tells working group of need for local crime-tips call center

Jan 23, 2013 (Tulsa World - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Creating a local Crime Stoppers call center would cost approximately $285,000, the City Council's Public Safety Intelligence Working Group was told Tuesday.

"Those are raw numbers," Carol Bush, executive director of the Crime Prevention Network, told the group.

But having a local resident answer calls has been shown to increase arrests, and that makes sense because local residents know the area better, she said.

"It localizes it, which makes it much more effective," Bush said.

Crime Stoppers is one of five crime-prevention programs operated by the nonprofit Crime Prevention Network. The network, formerly known as the Crime Commission, receives no funding from the city.

The Crime Prevention Network pays an out-of-state firm $25,000 a year to take anonymous tips from Tulsans, Bush said. In the Crime Stoppers' program's earlier years, police officers answered the calls.

Additional funds would help cover the cost of three full-time employees, office space, phone service, computer software and reward funds. The Crime Prevention Network would continue to operate the Crime Stoppers program.

Bush said she is not recommending that the city foot the bill alone but that a contract with the city to provide some funding could be used to leverage private donations.

Bush's cost estimate does not include employee benefits. At present, Tulsa Police Officer Jillian Roberson coordinates the Crime Stoppers program -- a job she does in addition to her duties as a public information officer for the Police Department.

The Public Safety Intelligence Working Group is exploring ways the city can improve communication between residents and the police when it comes to gathering anonymous tips.

City Councilor G.T. Bynum, who is leading the group, said after the meeting that the city has to look seriously at working with philanthropists to fund the programs recommended by the group.

"The city ought to be treating this as a public safety tool, no different than our 911 system or our helicopters or anything else," he said of the anonymous tip programs. "It is a force multiplier." Bush said it would be ideal to have Tulsa police officers available to educate residents about the city's anonymous tip line but that police don't have the staffing for that task.

Her other recommendations for getting the word out to residents include placing tip line information on interior bus signs, gas station kiosks and billboards.

But among the most effective -- and cheapest -- tools are restroom billboards, Bush said.

"Everyone has to go to the bathroom eventually," she said.

The Public Safety Intelligence Working Group was created in response to the Jan. 7 quadruple homicide at the Fairmont Terrace Apartments near 61st Street and Peoria Avenue. It includes representatives of the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and the media.

Next week, the working group is expected to discuss localizing the city's witness protection program, updating the Police Department's records-management procedures and modifying 911 protocols to ensure anonymity.

Kevin Canfield 918-581-8313 kevin.canfield@tulsaworld.com ___ (c)2013 Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) Visit Tulsa World (Tulsa, Okla.) at www.tulsaworld.com Distributed by MCT Information Services

[ Back To Mobile Security Homepage's Homepage ]

Request a Demo

Weekly Demonstration: SAP Mobile Secure
Solution including SAP Afaria Cloud

Free 30-day Trial

Best MDM in the cloud. Best MDM
Analytics. Best MDM price.

Featured Whitepapers

What Is Your Mobile Content Policy? A Checklist for Content Risk Mitigation
We are living in a world that only 20 years ago was the realm of science fiction. Devices once just barely imaginable have become common consumer items, carried casually in pockets and purses, with constantly growing capabilities.

SAP Enterprise Mobility: Bringing a Cohesive Approach to a Complex Market
Mobility and consumerization are creating complexity in the enterprise, but embracing the change can lead to more productive mobile workers as well as better communications with employees, partners, customers, and consumers. The trends in the enterprise mobility landscape drive a need for technology solutions to emerge.

View All

Featured Datasheets

Securing Enterprise Mobility for Greater Competitive Advantage
We are living in a world that only 20 years ago was the realm of science fiction. Devices once just barely imaginable have become common consumer items, carried casually in pockets and purses, with constantly growing capabilities.

Secure Mobile Content Management for the Enterprise
Every day employees move business files onto their mobile devices so they can work at home, on the road, or at client sites. The mobile workforce is a reality, as 80% of employees say they need to access work documents from outside the office.1 Instead of insecure, consumer-based tools, enterprises need a safe, reliable platform for managing content on mobile devices.

View All

Featured Webinar

Mobile Drives Field Service Productivity at Satellites Unlimited
Field service has never been more competitive or faster changing than it is today. Going mobile is a must to stay ahead of the competition, provide improved services, and keep up with ever-increasing customer expectations.

View All

Featured Webcast

End to End Mobility Requirements: IDC and SAP explore the 3rd Platform
A new IDC study states that we're in the midst of a shift that takes place once every 20 - 25 years - introducing a new technology platform that will inspire growth and innovation for enterprises of all sizes. IDC calls it the 3rd Platform - built on mobile devices and apps, cloud services, mobile broadband networks, "Big Data", analytics, and social technologies.

View All

Featured On-Demand Webinar

Analyst Webcast: Secure Content Management in a Mobile Age
Securing and managing content is taking on new importance as organizations try to cope with the explosion of business-oriented file sharing services while at the same time taking advantage of the proliferation of "smart" mobile devices.

View All