Mobile app keeps tabs on police

Want to text in a crime tip to the Dunwoody Police Department? Need to contact an officer real quick from your smart phone?

You can, pretty easily. The department has joined other police departments from around the country in using the "MyPD" or "My Police Department" mobile application.

It's a free download for iPhone and Android smart phones and it's got some features that might come in useful. One of the handiest for people trying to keep track of what the department's officers are up to is a shortcut to the department's latest Tweets.

The department's spokespeople are pretty well known for their outreach through social media - especially Facebook and Twitter.

If you check it today, you'd see that officers are investigating a recent rash of thefts from vehicles in the Dunwoody Club Forest subdivision.

The smart phone application also allows you to commend an officer on the fly by filling out a form, and you can tip the Dunwoody Police to information about crimes through their encrypted service that the application walks you through.

The application was launched in August. Police department officials say the application will add more features as it evolves.

The free software is also useful for easy shortcuts to the department's website and officer's contacts.

To download the app for iPhone, click here. To download for Android, click here.