New Tab on Police Facebook Pages for anonymous tip/crime reporting
It’s a simple thing really, writing an FBML (Facebook markup language) script for a new Facebook tab. That’s what Jeff Brown did. “It’s not rocket science”, he said and he’s right. But still, HE DID it. It may not be rocket science, but with 500 million Facebook users, putting a tab to allow citizens to leave a crime tip on a Facebook page is positively brilliant.
Brown is a computer training consultant in Truro Heights, Nova Scotia. His company is Alpha Computer Training and Consulting. He was talking with Constable Scott Mills (Toronto Police) one day when they cooked up the idea. They knew that having a system to report crime within Facebook was a bad idea because Facebook founder and CEO Zuckerburg isn’t exactly known for privacy protection. “I realized all we had to do was create a button that could open the form.” So Brown worked with Kevin Anderson, the founder of Tipsoft (now owned by CrimeReports), which is the engine behind the CrimeStoppers anonymous tip service.
Brown installed the tab on the CrimeStoppers International (CSIWorld) Facebook page. Then he called me. Together we’re working with any law enforcement agency, who’s already a Tipsoft client, to install the tab on their Facebook pages. While it’s possible to place the tab on any Facebook page, Kevin Anderson pointed out, “to do so would be against the Tipsoft Terms of Service”. Furthermore, said Anderson, the national receiver center for those tips would get overloaded. By the way, all it takes to be a client for Tipsoft’s webtips is $600 a year.
Jeff wrote directions which include the FBML script. If you’re somewhat technical you can do it yourself. But if you need a hand, either one of us will help. You’ll need a logo not wider than 520 pixels. Store the logo on a server somewhere and copy and paste the URL (web address) to the logo so it’s handy for later. You’ll need the URL for the webtip page from your CrimeStopper program. You install FBML with one click, copy and paste Jeff’s script, replace the two URL’s with yours, and you’re done.
The Arcadia Police Dept is in Los Angeles County and has created a tab on its Facebook page which takes a citizen to the LA Regional CrimeStoppers webtip form. I worked with Sgt Tom LeVeque to install it in about 15 minutes last week.
LeVeque acknowledged the installation was “a breeze. Even with my minimal computer expertise, I was able to cut, paste, and substitute some links into the code and we were done in minutes.” LeVeque said having the tab on his PD Facebook just makes sense. “I think this is a great example of how the use of Social Media can be a force multiplier in community outreach and communication. Not only do our 340+ fans have access to us, but any visitor to our Facebook page now has the ability to speak, even anonymously, to the Arcadia Police Department about criminal activity. This type of service furthers our motto, ‘Making a Difference.’”
Any agency which has a tip reporting system can install this tab on its Facebook page. Brown and I are expecting that once word gets out, many PD’s will want to. “I’m pretty sure we’ll see wide-scale adoption of this, it’s just too easy”, he said. It really is easy. But we’re here to help if you need it. If you install the tab at your agency, please leave us a note here to tell us how it went.
Jeff is at info@alphacomputer.ca
I’m at lauri@lawscomm.net or 978.764.9887
Amazing Blog. Very much enjoyed reading.
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This Facebook Tab – in conjunction with http://SMSCrimeTips.com and http://Tipsubmit.com is THE answer to assisting law enforcement worldwide to PREVENT and solve crimes AND locate missing persons. The best thing about the Facebook Tab is it is FREE and is networked WORLDWIDE ! .. and the anonymity in Canada is protected by case law of the Supreme Court of Canada. Even more exciting is Crime Stoppers programs are community operated programs in partnership with the police and the media. A good motto going forward is “Trust and Text” .. without education on how the system works internationally, and funding for engagement programs, especially with our youth that creates trust between the community and the police, the program cannot be utilized to its full potential. “TRUST and TEXT” – is the future of international community safety – Crime Stoppers programs are sustainable, successful at solving crime… and are now equipped to PREVENT in a timely effective way everything from online bullying to international terrorism… Think of the possibilities .. a world renowned BMX rider from Toronto… well respected by his peers and the police … anonymously submits a tip on Facebook about a potential terrorist attack at an airport.. or information that leads authorities to keep alive a law civilian, soldier or enforcement official on the ground in another country… simply because they overheard the plot and had the knowledge and trust to submit the anonymous tip to authorities through a Facebook application or by text message on an iPhone or blackberry …. think of a close friend of a ‘sexting’ victim … being able to report what they need to anonymously… to have the situation corrected by the school cop before she commits suicide…. or stopping that school shooting simply cause a kid submitted an anonymous tip! Thank you so very much Jeff and Lauri for all your work in preparing this post… and to all the volunteers in Crime Stoppers programs worldwide for doing what you do.,, Scott
Great article Lauri. It makes you want to go out and put the tab on your Facebook Page. You write very well. Thanks for sharing this with everyone. The Facebook tab will really make a difference in the days ahead. Thanks again Lauri.