Public Fact Sheet
In an effort to assist the citizens of San Joaquin County with a secure and anonymous way to submit crime tips to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the San Joaquin County Office of the Sheriff has developed a new anonymous tip service for use by the public. This is:

Text-a-tip Service:
User types “SJSO” plus their tip on their cell phone or PDA and texts it to “CRIMES” (274637). The text message is encrypted and an alias is generated, masking the identity of the sender from law enforcement. Law enforcement has no way of determining the user’s identity. Call 911 in an emergency…

If you see a crime in progress or need to report an emergency, please call 911.
This new crime tip service is for non-emergency investigative information only and will not generate a radio call or summon the SJSO to your location. How to Submit a Tip via Text Messaging To text a tip to the San Joaquin County Office, you must have text messaging enabled on your phone and subscribe to a participating cell phone carrier. To begin your tip session, text the word "SJSO" to the number 274637, which spells the word "CRIMES" on your phone's keypad. While handset menus differ by carrier or model, here are some basic steps on how to compose a text message Find "Messaging" or "SMS" on your phone's main menu.
1. Create a new txt message or send txt or SMS text.
2. When composing your message:
    • Enter the number 274637 as the mobile # or in the "to" line
    • Then, in the message body, type letters SJSO, a space, and then your crime tip information
       (SJSO is not case-sensitive)
3. Hit "Send" to send the message.
4. You will receive a response shortly, which will start the secure txt dialogue.
    • When you complete your tip submission, for your safety, you should always delete all text messages
      to and from 274637 from your text message in box and out box.

What is Text Messaging and How Do I Know If I Can Send or Receive a Text?
Text messaging is also known as SMS or "short message service." Text messaging is a way to communicate on your mobile by sending or receiving plain text messages. To determine if you can send text messages, it is best to contact your wireless provider or refer to your mobile device's manual.
You will not be asked to reveal your identity to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office in order to provide information about a violent crime and the Sheriff’s Office will not be able to trace the text message in any way. A special computer server will encrypt your message and mask your identity before sending your tip to law enforcement. This service is truly anonymous.

Types of Crimes to Submit
The San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office wants information on every type of crime, not just those covered in the media. The text tip line is not traced, and we are not interested in the user's identity. We believe these new anonymous forms of providing tips to law enforcement offer a way for callers to rid their neighborhoods of crime SAFELY.

When to Submit a Tip
You may submit a tip anytime, anywhere, 24/7.

Cost to Send
Although the SJSO service is free and requires no purchase or fee for participation, standard messaging rates and other fees may apply. Check your mobile plan for more details.

Help
At any time, from your mobile phone, send a text message with the word "HELP" to CRIMES (274637) for program information. This is for operational information, not to solicit help from the SJSO.

Privacy
No mobile phone information is collected by the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office as part of this program. Your text -a-tip is completely anonymous to the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office and is only identifiable via a four-digit tip code that will be provided to you. Any information you submit is directed to the SJSO Case Management Unit, who will disseminate the information to the appropriate SJSO investigative deputies.

Delete your text-a-tip messages…
For your safety, you should always delete all text messages to and from “CRIMES” (274637) from your in box and your out box. Note: The program is available on most, but not all major wireless carriers; therefore we cannot guarantee this program will work for all participants. Although the program is complimentary to participants, standard text messaging rates may apply. Check with your carrier and wireless plan for details.

To Stop the Program
To stop the program at any time, which will prevent SJSO from being able to securely respond back to you, you can opt out via text message. Send a text message with the word "STOP" to CRIMES (274637). You'll receive a one-time opt-out confirmation text message. If you choose to, you can submit a text tip again at a later time by texting the word SJSO along with your tip to CRIMES (274637).