The Potter County Sheriff's Office is one step closer to launching a new mobile app designed to make it easier for residents to stay informed and connect with deputies.
During Tuesday's meeting, the Potter County Commissioners Court approved a memorandum of understanding for the Sheriff's App, a free platform that will allow the sheriff's office to receive tips, send public safety alerts, and eventually share jail rosters and inmate mugshots with the public.
Chief Deputy Scott Giles said the app is being provided at no cost to the county or the public through an agreement between the app's developers and the Sheriff's Association of Texas.
“It also has features such as our jail roster, and we’re hoping to be able to put mugshots up on the app,” Giles said. “It’s a little bit more difficult than you would think, but we think we can accomplish that.”
Making mugshots available through the app would address a common request the sheriff's office receives.
Right now, the office doesn't have a public-facing platform for mugshots, meaning staff members have to process written open records requests every day from media outlets and other members of the public.
“There’s a lot of interest in mugshots, and today we don’t have any public-facing platform for mugshots, so we’re relegated to a daily written open record request procedure, and our clerks receive multiple open record requests for mugshots on a daily basis from a variety of different requesters,” Giles said.
Giles said the app isn't meant to replace the sheriff's office's Facebook page or other social media accounts. Instead, it will serve as another tool to share information that's difficult to post or organize on those platforms, while also giving residents a direct way to receive alerts and submit tips.
