Chicago Residents Can Now Send Images, Video to 911

By aaroncynic in News on Mar 16, 2011 6:00PM

Chicago residents will now be able to send photos and videos to 911 operators via their phones, according to a report from the Sun Times. The Office of Emergency Management and Communication began taking images from Chicago residents as part of a pilot program in September and so far has received at least 40 images. Chicago is the first city to pilot such a program.

The program is part of the City’s Txt2Tip initiative, which allows residents to report crimes by sending a text to CRIMES (274637). The Txt2Tip program hasn’t exactly met the department’s expectations however. According to the CPD website, just two arrests have come from tips sent to the number. With images and video, OMEC will review the images and police will investigate like any other 911 call. Jose Santiago, OMEC’s executive director, told the Sun Times that images and video from 911 callers will allow police to analyze emergencies more effectively, adding “Callers have a tendency to become confused or excited during an event, pictures don’t.”