Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Unveils Smartphone App

The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday, it is the first sheriff’s office in the state to have an interactive app where you can report crime and they can alert you to emergencies.

The app just went live this week and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office has already received a few anonymous tips because of it.

News 9 downloaded the app and discovered it is very user friendly. It puts phone numbers, alerts and messages right at the user's fingertips. It also allows the public to instantly alert the sheriff’s office to anything criminal in their area.

“You have the opportunity from your phone to make direct contact with law enforcement, to send a picture of crimes in progress, or to text tips 24 hours a day,” said Cleveland County Undersheriff Rhett Burnett. “We love it, we're fired up about it, and it’s paying off.”

The app also allows the CCSO to "geotag" an area so they can instantly warn people about natural disasters, nearby crime, and accidents.

“We can kind of set a digital fence around that area, so anybody driving into that area or near that area would be notified on their phone ‘Danger! There's an area you should stay away from’.”

The sheriff's office says residents going on vacation can also use the app to ask for deputies to check on their home while they are gone.

News 9 showed some of the app functions to one person who lives in Cleveland County. He thought the new interactive app was a pretty cool idea.

“To be able to say Oh I am witnessing a crime, and here it is, and here's the evidence - that's photographic and really hard to dispute -  then it’s a great thing,” said John Priestley. But Priestley says he doesn’t know if he will download the app. “Some of those apps alert you too much and it gets annoying!”

For those who do want to download the app, it is very easy. Simply go to your app store, type in Cleveland Sheriff and it should pop right up. Once you install the app, you can also link it to your location services in your settings. Then you are good to go.

Anyone with a mobile device and the app can then text the number 70000 to sign up for the messaging service.

The CCSO is going to be doing a big social media push as well. They will be using Facebook, Twitter, and Periscope to teach people how to use the app.

The company behind the app, BFAC.com, has also done apps for the National Guard, Pepsi, Chick – Fil – A, and Buffalo Wild Wings.