Voices-of-violence

The tip411 system allows people to text information to police anonymously.

The Web-based system erases all identifying information when the text is sent, allowing police to have a two-way text conversation without knowing who the tipster is. People just text tip411 (847411) beginning the text with ACPD to ensure it goes to the department.

The program, developed by St. Paul, Minn.-based Citizen Observer, also allows alerts to go out to either the entire city or specified subgroups, which could include casino security, Boardwalk Ambassadors or certain neighborhoods where a crime may have occurred. It also can provide weather alerts or notification of traffic problems and detours.

Beginning in the summer of 2012, the system also gave the department its first foray into social media, bringing with it the set up of Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/AtlanticCityPolice) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/AtlanticCity_PD) accounts.

Locally, police departments in Vineland and Bridgeton, along with the the Cape May County Sheriff's Office also have the system.

Audio sensors set up throughout Atlantic City are helping police know where gunshots are fired — even when no one calls 911.

The ShotSpotter audio-detection system is activated whenever a boom or bang goes off in the city. Three or more sensors triangulate on the sound, which goes to a national operations center. Specialists trained in acoustics and gunfire analyze the information, and it's passed on to the municipality's dispatch — if the sound is determined to be a gunshot and not something else, such as fireworks.

The process, according to the company, takes about 30 to 40 seconds.

The city will not say where the sensors are as a precaution against possible attempts at tampering with them. They are made to blend in with their surroundings.

The system records how many shots were fired, time and location, and guarantees an 80 percent success rate, although police say it has been much higher. The aim is to eventually integrate the system with existing cameras to give police audio and video information.