Tampa Police Department launches new technology for real-time updates for victims of crime

TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Police Department is launching new technology to give victims of certain crimes real-time updates.

Officials with the department launched a one-year pilot program in partnership with SPIDR Tech, a technology company. When a person calls police to report certain crimes, the communication system allows police to send the victim text messages to keep them updated on officers’ response and the status of their case.

"Say you were the victim of an auto burglary, they would call, and a text message would be sent to the victim advising that an officer has been dispatched to the call," Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.

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Bercaw said the technology will be used for 14 different types of service calls, including calls to police about stolen vehicles, abandoned vehicles, street obstructions, auto burgalries, business or residential burglaries, grand/petty theft, forgery, disabled vehicles, parking violations, lost or stolen property, animal nuisance calls, wires or poles down, criminal mischief and holding a subject for police.

If an officer gets delayed in responding to the call, the technology can send an update to the crime victim.

"Maybe a traffic crash with serious injuries, then a text messages would go to that victim, letting them know that officer was delayed en route," Bercaw said.

The technology won’t be used for calls where your safety is in imminent danger. Similarly, you won’t be able to track the officer’s exact location, for their safety.

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"It’s not saying when the officer is going to arrive," Bercaw said. "It’s not like a Domino’s pizza, where you see the Domino’s pizza driving in your neighborhood. You don’t see that."

After officers have finished responding to a call, the person will get another text with the officer’s name, contact information and a case number for their report. If the case is given to a detective, they’ll also get updates on the case status. 

"If you have a package that’s being delivered and that package is delayed, and you’re expecting it at a certain day and time, now you’re getting that real-time communication," Bercaw said.

The one-year pilot program costs $187,000 from the department’s annual budget.

"You can call 911, you can also text 911," Bercaw said. "This would just be a response, letting you know what we’re doing to assist you."