Aurora cops hope new app improves outreach efforts

Aurora police hope a new app, My PD, will make it easier for residents to communicate with the department and even provide crime-related tips.

The free app is available for both iPhone and Android devices, officials said Wednesday, and allows users to communicate with police administrators, ask questions, obtain sex offender information and more. It also features links to both the Aurora police Facebook page and the city's website.

But Lt. Rick Robertson, who serves in the intelligence division, says police are really hoping the app makes it easier for residents to share tips.

“It's obvious we live in a mobile society and it seems that everyone is texting and taking pictures,” he said in a written statement. “With the app, the citizens we serve have the ability to give us information they know about criminal activity and they can choose to either do so anonymously or submit their contact information in the event they want to talk to us in person.”

Aurora is the third Illinois police department to use the My PD app, spokesman Dan Ferrelli said in a news release. It's available free at iPhone and Android app stores. Users who download it should choose Aurora as their jurisdiction.