News

Santa Clara U Solicits Anonymous Tips via TipNow

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 06/26/09

Santa Clara University in California is deploying tip collection and management system TipNow from Resiligence for the purpose of increasing campus security. The tips, which can remain anonymous, may originate from electronic mail and cell phone or personal digital assistant SMS or text messages.

The application, launched in December 2008 and delivered as software as a service (SaaS), automatically notifies campus security people regarding non-emergency suspicious activity, which in the future could lead to human caused emergencies. To retain anonymity, the reporter's cell phone number or e-mail ID is encrypted by the service. The information is then anonymously relayed to campus security.

"If someone has a tip about something that is happening, he or she can text [email protected]," said Charlie Arolla, director of campus safety at Santa Clara U. "It can be for criminal activity, safety hazard or even something like a bike obstructing the stairs."