Police in Ocean Springs have launched a phone app designed to make it easier to report non-emergency crimes or suspicious activities.

WLOX reports that the app went live on Feb. 1. The police department partnered with an app developer called Relay to launch the app. It is not designed for emergencies but to report crimes that aren’t emergencies or to report suspicious activities. People with an emergency should still call 911.
People who use the app will be able to include notes, location and photos along with their report. That will then be passed along to an officer in the field to check it out. Users who report crime through the app will also be able to follow what happens with their complaint and get a notification when its been resolved.

The station said that the police department says the app can be thought of as a modern-day version of the neighborhood watch program, and they hope it strengthens relations between citizens and law enforcement.