ADDISON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CloseWatch today unveiled its advanced crime tipping, alerting and analytics platform, which enables everyday citizens to serve as the eyes and ears of the community by reporting suspicious activities to the appropriate law enforcement and government agencies. CloseWatch also announced that the company’s iWatch mobile app is being deployed by the U.S. Army to help secure more than 20 domestic bases to bolster anti-terrorism efforts and aid in crime prevention.
“iWatch brings the concept of the neighborhood watch to the Facebook generation,” said Daniel Elliott, founder and CMO at CloseWatch. “The success of our pilot program across 280 schools in Texas not only validated the platform, it resulted in criminal acts being stopped. The U.S. Army’s rapid deployment of our solution across strategic bases is further proof that citizens, in addition to surveillance, are key to protecting our troops and their families domestically and abroad.”
CloseWatch’s complete crime reporting platform uses a system called iTAG (intelligent tactical alert groups) that categorizes inbound tips based on the FBI’s uniform crime reporting codes. Information is also automatically sorted by rank, role and region (e.g., a narcotics tip goes directly to the appropriate narcotics unit). When a more severe offense is reported, such as a terror threat or active shooter, tips are forwarded to the agency and officers in that location. All of this happens automatically without the need for human interaction. The platform processes all tips in less than eight seconds – considerably faster than traditional 911 calls, although the platform is not intended to substitute calling 911 in case of emergencies.
CloseWatch’s iWatch App Supports U.S. Army’s Anti-terrorism Efforts
The U.S. Army is using CloseWatch to support efforts to keep their communities safe from terror threats. The application supplements iWatch Army, an existing anti-terrorism program that encourages military families to “See Something, Say Something.” The new app enables Army members and their families to report suspicious or criminal activity to law enforcement or security professionals using their mobile devices. Users have the option to remain anonymous or to confirm their identity. They can also choose to receive messages from the app, such as emergency notifications or questions seeking information similar to an AMBER Alert.
“In this post-9/11 world, citizens feel a strong desire to help protect against future attacks – and they are. Thanks to Americans reporting suspicious activity, a multitude of terror plots have been thwarted over the past decade,” said Mike Malcolm of the Army Materiel Command’s protection division.
CloseWatch Closes Seed Round
The company also announced that it has closed a $1.49m round of seed funding from angel investors and ECAP Holdings. The funds are being used to further build out the CloseWatch platform, its iWatch mobile app, and validate its efficacy across hundreds of communities throughout the Southern United States. CloseWatch is committed to creating technologies that enable an open and transparent dialog in a secure, content rich and affordable platform for government agencies, local and national law enforcement, and communities, universities and school systems. For more information on how your organization can partner with CloseWatch, visit http://www.closewatch.tips.
About CloseWatch
CloseWatch Inc. develops and markets technology solutions for public and personal safety by capturing, protecting and securing images, videos and text. The company works with organizations across the U.S., including the U.S. Army, the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as well as mass transit systems, school districts, hospitals and higher education institutions. For more information, please visit www.closewatch.tips.