About 20 anonymous tips were filed through the P3 app for Fountain Hills in recent months, including everything from traffic and noise violations to students seen using vaping devices on a school campus.

MCSO Captain Larry Kratzer recently updated the Fountain Hills Youth Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition on the latest P3 activity dating back to November.

Kratzer reported nine tips were provided through P3 in November, with seven reported in December and three for January as of last week.

“[P3] is still a new system and, through word of mouth, we hope to see it grow,” Kratzer said. “People are starting to understand this is the new process. It’s been successful and it’s growing, but we hope to see that continue.

The P3 app

The P3 app was introduced in Fountain Hills almost exactly a year ago, replacing the previous Text-A-Tip system for reporting potentially illegal activity around the community. The app is available for all smart devices and can be used to provide anonymous tips to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

The P3 application-based format allows residents to take advantage of new options while still remaining anonymous.

MCSO and the Coalition urge residents to download the P3 app onto their phones for easy use.

Users have the ability to share their name through tips provided on the app, or they may remain unidentified if desired.

The application is available on Apple and Android devices. Simply search for “P3 Tips” in the app marketplace, and make sure it says it is developed by Anderson Software.

When the app was introduced last year, Kratzer said that the set-up is simple and users are guided through the whole process, including adding MCSO as the primary law enforcement agency.

Once the application is set up, users can choose from categories before sending a tip, allowing the information to be more easily channeled to the proper authorities.

There’s even a school category, allowing students to provide anonymous tips directly affecting their school campus.

Another added feature is the ability to attach photos to tips, as well as the ability to track the progress of a tip after it has been reported.

If the authorities need to get back in touch with the person sending the tip, it will also be handled anonymously through the application.

“We follow up on all the tips,” Kratzer said following the app’s launch. “There have been convictions in the past due to anonymous tips, so this is a useful tool for both MCSO and the coalition.

“These practices make Fountain Hills a safer community for everyone.”

To learn more about the Coalition and the P3 app, visit fhcoalition.org.