East Chicago police hope to reduce crime with Atlas One app

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (WLS) -- The East Chicago, Indiana, police department is hoping to reduce crime on city streets not with extra patrols, but with a sophisticated phone app.

"We want to make sure the public feels safe talking to us, and that they trust we are not going to release their information," said East Chicago Police Department Chief Jose Rivera.

Rivera said his department is now using the app Atlas One to hopefully build bridges with residents while also keeping them safer, all in real-time. East Chicago is the first city in Indiana to use the app.

"Instead of seeing a police car and not knowing what's going on, we can actually tell them there were shots fired; there was a robbery, might have been a homicide - something they need to be aware about, which will keep them safer that knowing in the area they live in, something happened," Rivera said.

The app's technology allows ECPD to send location-based push alerts to residents if an incident is unfolding, notifying those specifically affected, without creating citywide panic.

"What we did is a six-block radius, and we can do it farther our depending on the severity of the crime," Rivera said. "We'll be immediately asking for tips while we're there, and we can look at the phone while we're there and see if any tips are coming in."

Those critical tips can be submitted straight from a user's phone using the app, allowing a witness to send pictures and videos to the department, all anonymously.

"You can still talk with the police and address your concerns without anyone knowing who you are, and that's going to help keep our city safe, your neighborhood safe," Rivera said.

Atlas One already got good use in East Chicago within hours of its launch after shots were fired in a neighborhood.

"Nobody was hit, no property damage, but we immediately notified the residents in that area," Rivera said.

Rivera said he hopes a majority of East Chicago downloads Atlas One to play a part in increasing public safety. He and his officers will be visiting different neighborhoods and businesses across East Chicago starting Tuesday to educate residents on the app and encourage them to download it.