Manheim Borough Police Department announces latest version of their MyPD app with new features and updated design.
Public will benefit from new app options and ways to connect to the police department.
Manheim, PA 11/04/2014
– Manheim Borough Police today announced the launch of Version 3 of their app, My Police Department or MyPD for short. The free MyPD app allows citizens to download an app for their Android or iPhone and easily connect with the police department right from their device.
A few hundred people have already downloaded the app to connect with the Manheim Police. The app previously had around 22 features and has now boosted the available options to over 30. It has improved many of the older options and completely overhauled the app’s design and user interface.
“The Public can get important updates from us as push notifications” said Chief Stauffer. “We can send the notifications through twitter or our dashboard and the user doesn’t need an account or to worry about missing an important tweet. With the prior version almost any tweets got sent as an alert, with our new version we will send only more important tweets as alerts. We encourage users to opt in to messages if they want to be informed quickly of updates.”
Crime and safety issues are also important for citizens to know about. The app includes resources and links on a number of topics; such as, victim resources, Megans law violators, domestic violence, press releases, missing children, and many more. There are also four background screens to swipe through and can be updated with pictures or wanted persons, missing people, or announcements.
Sending in tips about crimes or other quality of life issues is another way citizens can use the Manheim Police MyPD app. It allows the user to either attach their contact information or send it anonymously. Photos and GPS locations of incidents can also be attached from either the phones gallery or live camera.
While the app links to or integrate with some social media, police say it is not another social network. There are no ads on the app and no account is necessary to use MyPD. “We have been using social media like Facebook and Twitter for quite a few years now.” Said Stauffer. “The MyPD app is not meant to replace those or be another social network. It is a tool for citizens to keep on their phones so when they need a phone number, to send a crime tip, or want to research something they have it readily available in an easy to use app.”
While the app is not a social media platform, it does have some social aspects to it and has added an interesting feature where users can “unlock” badges the more they use the app and interact with the police department. “Basically the app user can climb in rank and unlock new badges” said Stauffer, “We will build on this idea with future versions.”
The app also now lets users share some basic anonymous data about their age, gender, or how they found out about the app. This is optional and if shared will help the department to better understand who is using the app, how they found it, and if they live or work in the city. MyPD is free for residents, contains no advertising, and users do not need to share personal information or set up an account to use the app. Any information sharing is optional.
Citizens looking to connect with the Manheim Police should search for “MyPD” in their app store. Once the app is downloaded and the agency chosen it will always open to the Manheim Police Department and its resources. If you have feedback about the app you can send it under
the app’s Feedback form; choose the topic of “App suggestions”.
For additional information about the My Police Department app users can visit: manheimpolice.org or MyPDapp.com Users can download the app in your app store by searching “MyPD”
