Camden Missouri Sheriff Urges Citizens To Become ‘Cell Phone Cops’

The Camden, Missouri Sheriff’s Department has put a new twist on cracking down on crime.

They’ve recently announced a new program called Cell Phone Cops that allows citizens
to report crimes with TXT messages, mobile phone video or photographs - and sending them alond via their cell phones.

Cell Phone Cops will also deliver TXT messages alerting citizens of Amber Alerts, severe weather or traffic accidents/tie-ups. Sign up is required to take advantage of the alert system.

“You know, you have an accident and you get one or two phone calls. Well with cell phones we now get 20 or 30 phone calls. Everyone who drives by it wants to make sure it’s reported. Well, now once we get it reported, hopefully we can send out a message that says the accident at such and such has been reported. Or avoid this area ’cause there is an accident,” Sheriff John Page explained.

Camden County is the first sheriff’s department to use the program, and it is currently tailored to the needs of a small county.

If the program is a success, however, counties throughout Missouri could start implementing the system.

Camden County Sheriff John Page says, “We’re looking at being able to save time, get more information, and be able to disseminate it to a lot more people, a lot quicker.”

Citizens that see a crime taking place or witness an accident can take a picture or a video and send it along to the authorities. Local businesses are picking up the $4,500 tab for the new program.

Looks like a new ’self policing’ policy has rolled into Missouri.. we’ll have to wait and see who jumps in on the bandwagon - my guess is that many communities will soon join in to help the police do their jobs. What say you?