Law enforcement encourage Georgia residents to download new app to report suspicious activity

A new anonymous smart phone app gives users a chance to report suspicious activity.

According to Homeland Security Area 1 Coordinator David Shanks the app “See Something? Send Something,” is available across all Apple and Android devices.

He says the app allows citizens who witness suspicious activity to report it to law enforcement anonymously.

“This is an app that you can download on any Apple or Android phone, from the app store,” Shanks said. “Basically, it’s an app where you can now report anonymously…you can send photos, you can send notes, and if you want it to, it’ll take GPS coordinates of where you are and you can send these tips to our State Fusion Center, in Atlanta, Georgia Information Sharing and Analysis Center, which is run by the GBI. We have an analyst on duty 24-hours a day now, the tips are looked at immediately, and then distributed where they need to be sent out to.”

Shanks said the goal is that people will use the app to report suspicious activity before a tragic event occurs.

He adds that here in Stephens County, law enforcement officials are focusing on getting students to use the app.

“The overall goal is to get any suspicious activity reported. We don’t want to happen what has happened in other parts of the country, where there was information out there that got dropped between the cracks,” he said. “We don’t want that to happen here in Georgia. We’re pushing this out across the state, and we’re really focusing on the schools. Especially with the recent tragedies that have occurred. We’ve got local law enforcement support, Sheriff (Randy) Shirley he has the SRO’s here in the schools here in Stephens County and he’s behind it—anything to keep those kids safe.”

However, Shanks stressed that the app isn’t just for students, but for everyone in the state.

He says the “See Something? Send Something” app has started to gain traction across the state, with users frequently reporting suspicious activity.

“It is already available and up-and-running,” he said. “We’ve already had numerous tips turned in. We’ve had several that have proven beneficial.”

“See Something, Send Something” provides a platform to capture a photo or send in information with written text of suspicious activity; however, it is not intended to be used for emergency situations that require an immediate response.

If you are in an emergency situation, call 911 or your local law enforcement directly.

Again, the application is available at no cost for iPhone and Android phone users, as well as iPad users. To download it search “See Something, Send Something” in the app store.