Big Brother is in your hands.....

Use your cell phone to battle bad guys!


BY KATHLEEN LUCADAMO
DAILY NEWS CITY HALL BUREAU

Wednesday, September 10th 2008, 1:17 AM

Picture this: You e-mail a photo of a fleeing crook that you took with your cell phone to cops, who use it to bust the bad guy in a flash.

Now it can happen.

Callers to 911 can send photos and videos to NYPD's Real Time Crime Center, where images are used to crack crimes or respond to emergencies, Mayor Bloomberg said Tuesday.

"This technology should scare every would-be criminal because the chance of getting caught in the act is now better than ever," said Bloomberg.

All callers have to do is tell the dispatcher that they have a picture that could be useful in the emergency.

The information is provided to cops, who contact the callers and give them an e-mail address to send the photo to.

Bloomberg, however, warned aspiring crime stoppers to exercise common sense when taking pictures.

"As helpful as your photo or video image is, do not put yourself in harm's way to obtain them," he said. "Your safety is paramount."

When callers say they have a crime photo, the 911 dispatcher enters a special code in the NYPD's internal system that provides cops with the good Samaritan's phone number.

"It's another building block in our partnership with the public," said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly, noting that last month, the NYPD started accepting text-message tips.

But photos aren't just for combatting crime.

New Yorkers can also send photos and videos - to 311 or nyc.gov - concerning quality-of-life issues like potholes, dirty parks or broken pay phones.

As with the protocol for 911, callers to 311 have to alert operators that they have a photo of the offense. Callers are directed to nyc.gov, where they can directly send up to three photos.

"All of these things add to the quality of life in this city," said Bloomberg.

Bloomberg said he wasn't worried about the system being flooded with photos, but urged the public not to "cry wolf."

"I think the problem is reverse," he said. "That people don't call us enough."

klucadamo@nydailynews.com