Tecumseh Police Department goes online

«First in the State of Oklahoma to use BobCOP»

www.tecumseh.bobcop.com
By Kim MoravaStaff Writer

Tecumseh Police Department goes online

The Tecumseh Police Department has become the first in the state to use BobCOP, a national online police and citizen crime reporting system. Residents of Tecumseh now have online access to the police department for the reporting of minor crimes and to provide tips on everything from missing persons to traffic complaints.

BobCOP is a service that sets up a personalized police department Web site that residents can access to make the reports. Bill Crow, Tecumseh's assistant police chief, said the program, being funded through a two-year grant, brings a new level of service to Tecumseh residents.

"This is great community policing," Crow said. "It's another tool for the public to use." The site is set up to take minor reports when there is no suspect information available such as vandalism, lost cell phones or property damage, he said. The site is intended to save time. Residents who wake up to discover vandalism, for example, can go to work and report the incident online rather than having to wait for an officer to respond, he said.

When information is reported online, it can be assigned to several key areas, Crow said, from dispatch, to a detective or the school resource officer. The Web site is available for convenience and for those who want to use it. Crow said anyone without a computer or those who don't want to use the online tool can still call the police department as they normally would. "We'll always respond if someone wants us too," he said.

There also are other perks to the site. Residents who are going on a vacation can fill out a "House Watch" form, Crow said, so police can conduct extra patrols. And if residents see people speeding on certain roadways or running stop signs, they can fill out an online traffic complaint, Crow said. Residents also can make a request for an officer to call them and there's plenty of information about the department and how to contact personnel.

Crow said the site will continue to grow and evolve as features are added. There's a missing persons section for people to make tips online, Crow said, and soon they'll be plenty of Tecumseh's "Most Wanted" listed on the site. "It will eventually be loaded down with (outstanding) warrants about $220,000 worth," he said. Crow said more features are planned for the future, including a sex offender list and information on the city's D.A.R.E. Drug Abuse Resistance Education program.
Residents can access the Tecumseh site online at www.tecumseh.bobcop.com, Crow said. Anyone needing to report an emergency should still dial 911. Anyone with questions can call the Tecumseh Police Department directly at (405) 598-2115.

Kim Morava may be reached at 214-3962 or by e-mail at kimberly.morava@news-star.com.