How to Submit an Anonymous Crime Tip to the Boston Police Department

Updated

You can submit an anonymous tip to the Boston Police Department (BPD) in three ways: call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-494-TIPS (8477), text the word TIP to CRIME (27463), or use the BPD app to send a tip that can include photos or videos. All three are described by the department as anonymous channels. If you send a text or use the app, standard message and data rates may apply, and the department points to terms and privacy terms that govern those channels.

The Three Anonymous Tip Channels

Channel How to use it What you can include Notes from the BPD site
CrimeStoppers phone line Call 1-800-494-TIPS (8477) Verbal information Listed on the site as the CrimeStoppers contact line
Text tip Text the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463) Written information Message and data rates may apply
BPD app Download the BPD app (linked from the site) and send a tip through it Text plus photos and/or videos The site notes terms, conditions, and a privacy policy apply

The BPD site presents the app as a newer option specifically for anonymous tips that include photos or videos. The text line is the simplest option if you only have written information and no attachment.

How to Send a Tip, Step by Step

By text message

  1. Open your phone's messaging app.
  2. Start a new message to the short code 27463.
  3. Type TIP and send it.
  4. Follow the prompts to provide your information.

Expected result: your tip is routed through the CrimeStoppers text channel. Because the department notes that message and data rates may apply, check your mobile plan if cost is a concern.

Through the BPD app

  1. Download the BPD app using the link on the department's website.
  2. Open the app and choose the tip submission option.
  3. Enter your information and attach any photos or videos you have.
  4. Submit the tip.

Expected result: your tip, including any media, is sent to the department through the app. The site states that terms and conditions and a privacy policy apply to this channel, so review them in the app if you want to understand how your submission is handled.

By phone

  1. Dial 1-800-494-TIPS (8477).
  2. Provide the information you have about the crime or individual.

Expected result: you speak with the CrimeStoppers line. This is the best fit if you prefer not to type and do not need to send images.

What to Have Ready Before You Submit

  • What happened or who is involved. For a Most Wanted case, the department asks the public to share information about an individual's identity or whereabouts.
  • Where and when. Specific location and time details make a tip more useful.
  • Any media. Photos or videos can only be attached through the app, not the text line or phone call.
  • A way to describe what you saw without identifying yourself. The point of these channels is that you do not need to give your name.

Common Questions and Points to Watch

Is the tip really anonymous? The department labels these channels as anonymous tip options and separately notes that witnesses and community members can reach the Homicide Unit anonymously. The site does not publish a detailed explanation of how each channel strips identifying data, so if anonymity is critical to you, the phone line and text line avoid attaching media and account details that an app might collect.

Can I send photos or video? Only through the BPD app. The text line and phone line are for written or spoken information.

Will it cost me anything? The site does not charge for tips, but it warns that message and data rates may apply for texting and app use. Those are carrier charges, not department fees.

What if I want to report something that isn't a tip? The site separates tip channels from other functions: public records requests go through the department's records process, media requests go in writing to [email protected], and public safety alerts and news appear in the BPDnews feed. Use the tip channels for information about crimes or wanted individuals, not for records or press inquiries.

What happens after I submit? The site does not describe a follow-up process for tipsters, which is consistent with anonymous reporting. Do not expect a case update through these channels.

Where This Fits in the Department's Mission

The BPD frames its work around community policing: "working in partnership with the community to fight crime, reduce fear and improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods." Anonymous tip lines are one practical expression of that partnership — they let people share what they know about a crime or a wanted person without stepping forward publicly. The Homicide Unit page makes the same point directly: witness, family, and community information is its greatest resource in solving cases, and people can always reach out anonymously.