This outline is for everyone who currently uses NIXLE tips; (If you are unfamiliar with what Nixle Tips are, head over to our website homepage at www.siouxcounty.com and check it out.)
We thought it would be helpful to share this information with you to better serve the NIXLE Tip reporting process. In some cases, calling by phone, 712-737-3307 or 9-1-1, would be much more time sensitive to the incident. You can still state that you want to remain anonymous. Here are some examples of when calling is more efficient:
– [ ] Any in-progress events –(anything time sensitive). For example; reporting an in-progress erratic driver. We would encourage you to call 9-1-1 if you believe the incident is emergent.
– [ ] Anything that is not occurring in Sioux County. In numerous cases, we received tips for other counties where the tipster didn’t want to look up the number for the appropriate agency and call that agency directly. This takes response time away from the event and also ties up our dispatchers from handling local emergencies or events.
– [ ] Any administrative questions like the examples below:
“Tipster Text: Why do some press release stories come out about arrests and others don’t?” or “Tipster Text: is your office closed tomorrow?”
Here are Reminders when sending a NIXLE Tip:
– [ ] Remember to include specific locations and towns. We receive many text tips that say “westbound on Hwy 18.” The dispatcher does not specifically know where on Highway 18. Another example is a text tip stating “loud music on 7th Street” but a specific city is not provided. Give as many details as possible in the first message; this prevents dispatchers having to respond back and forth several times to gather the complete information.
– [ ] When deciding whether to text a tip or call in a tip, always remember that 9-1-1 calls, phone calls, radio traffic between police, fire and ambulance will be prioritized over text-messaged tips. Again, on-going or emergency incidents should be called in to avoid time-lapse.
We hope you find this information is helpful and will make text-a-tip more effective and efficient. Remember, when time is of the essence; calling in can often be the better option when personal or public safety is at stake.