The Columbia Falls Police Department is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal with a new app to help residents connect with the department to find information, view alerts, and submit anonymous tips from their smartphone.

Developed by tip411, the Columbia Falls Police app puts a new crime-fighting tool into the hands of community members of all ages. The app is available for download for free via the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store, or by visiting the Columbia Falls Police Department website at www.cityofcolumbiafalls.org/police.

“Crime prevention and enforcement require more than an outstanding police force. They also take a strong partnership with the citizens and a community that cares,” Columbia Falls Police Chief Clint Peters said.

“We believe our new Columbia Falls PD app from tip411 will strengthen our partnership with the community to help make it easier for residents to connect with us to share information.”

The Columbia Falls PD app enables the public to share an anonymous tip with police and lets officers respond back to create an anonymous two-way conversation.

“We’ve listened to feedback from partners like Columbia Falls Police and have built a more advanced and innovative product to help departments better engage their communities,” tip411 President Terry Halsch said in a press release. “The Columbia Falls PD app ... will greatly improve the public’s access to agency alerts, social media channels, important information, and more to help fight crime.”

The Columbia Falls PD app and tip411 anonymous text a tip system is 100% anonymous, as the technology removes all identifying information before police see the tips and there is no way to identify the sender.

Residents in Columbia Falls without a smartphone can share information with police by sending an anonymous text tip via their cellphone to police by texting keyword CFPD and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411).

Students can help protect their school by using their unique keyword, CFSCHOOLS, to text anonymous tips to School Resource Officers.

Anonymous web tips can also be submitted through the department’s website at www.cityofcolumbiafalls.org/police.