The Mathews County Sheriff’s Office has launched the “Mathews Co Sheriff app,” a smart phone app to help residents connect with deputies to find information, view alerts, and submit anonymous tips from their smartphones.

The app, which was developed by the software company tip411, is “100 percent anonymous,” said a press release, adding that the technology removes all identifying information before deputies see the tips, leaving no way to identify the sender. It is available for download free. It can be found for Android phones at play.google.com or for iPhones at apps.apple.com. Search for mathewsco-sheriff.

Our mission is to protect the lives, rights, and property of all people through crime prevention and enforcement of the law with equity and dignity for all,” said Sheriff April Edwards. “We are committed to collaborating with our community members to create a safer environment for everyone, and I believe our new app will help us do just that.”

Edwards said further that the app “puts a powerful new crime-fighting tool into the hands of community members of all ages.”

Residents without a smartphone can send anonymous tips to deputies on their cell phone by texting the keyword MCTIP, along with a message, to 847411, said the release. In addition, anonymous tips can also be made directly to the Mathews County Sheriff’s Office website at www.tip411.com/tips/mathewscountyvaso/new.