Norwood Police Department: There's An App For That

Editor's Note: The following press release is from the Norwood Police Dept.

The Norwood Police Department’s newest public outreach tool is now available right on your Android or iPhone.

The phone application or “app” can be downloaded free by searching for “My Police Department” or “MyPD” in the iPhone or Android marketplace. The app is packed with ways to contact the Norwood police and send information to the department.

This app includes features for checking on the latest news, social media postings, directions, department contacts, submitting feedback and questions, submitting crime tips, and more.

The app is available to the public free of charge and is also free of any advertisements or pop ups.

“We are proud to utilize this latest technology and provide it to the citizens of Norwood ,” said Chief William G. Brooks III. “Our goal is to increase the flow of information, allowing users to easily send us messages or questions and also providing them with our latest news, updates, and services in one easy to use app.”

Users can easily choose not only our app but they also have the option to view other police departments on MyPD by choosing a different city or state. The app defaults to the last agency viewed upon opening, which makes it easy to always open right to the Norwood Police Department. 

The department home screen contains a number of functions with more found in the bottom menu which activates upon touch or swipe.

Some features, the survey icon for example, will only appear on the app when a survey is currently being conducted.

“We hope that the citizens of Norwood download and use our mobile app to communicate with the department,” said Chief Brooks. “There are many topics for tips and questions already built into the app to make things easy for the user. We have removed the guess work about who to contact about individual issues.”

“Our app’s crime tips or questions and feedback features allows a user to choose a topic from the forms dropdown menu that best suits them and that message will then be routed to the correct officer.  We will add topics in the future to give our public as many options as possible.”

All information can be sent anonymously to the department, although we encourage an email address or phone number if you would like a response. Users also have the availability to upload photos and GPS information with the app forms. Parking issues, or graffiti complaints are some examples.

As is the case with our email, tip sites, and social media, our app should not be used for an emergency situation. The Norwood Police attempt to review all messages in a timely fashion but do not always actively monitor all messages and activity at all times. The app is for routine questions and information sharing, not emergencies.

“Corporate America is using apps to provide customers with better service and accessibility. Progressive law enforcement agencies are adopting the MyPD app for the same reasons.” said WiredBlue’s founder Peter Olson. “Law enforcement strives to provide citizens with new and convenient ways to contact them and to also receive the information they are looking for. This police app allows a police department or other law enforcement agency to reach a majority of smart phone users with a unique iPhone and Android application. Apps are popular because they are always right there on your phone and easy to use. You can download it once and when you need it or want to check something it is right there, ready to go.”

The app developer, WiredBlue, and the Norwood Police Department have new features planned for an upcoming release. Any suggestions and feedback can be directed to the department by emailing police@norwoodma.gov, or the app developer at info@wiredblue.com.

“We hope the public finds our efforts to utilize this latest technology helpful and informative. The department is always open to suggestions and feedback from our citizens,” said Brooks.

More app information can be found on the Norwood Police website at http://www.norwoodma.gov/police and the MyPD app website http://MyPDapp.com.