PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Sheriff’s Office is hoping to get more help from the public in finding fugitives with a new web page that makes it easier to report a wanted person.
On PhillySheriff.com, clicking the “Philly’s fugitives” link in the header at the top of the page opens up the Top Priority List.
“Here you see the individuals that are of high interest to us,” said the sheriff’s webmaster, Dan Elliot.
He says the site is optimized for use on cell phones, as well.
Sheriff Rochelle Bilal thinks many people will find using the web-based option preferable to calling the office with a tip, and it will be more convenient for people who already spend a lot of time online.
“That’s that old myth that if you call 911, they track your phone, they come to your house, they knock on your door. That’s been in existence for such a long time,” she said.
Bilal says it benefits law enforcement and users. “Some people don’t even know whether the person they have in their house is wanted, so this is another avenue you can click on and check and see if they’re wanted,” she said. “You want to move somebody into your apartment building you don’t know? Click and check.”
Right now there are 13 mugshots listed on the Top Priority List, plus an option to report someone who isn’t already pictured.
“We want everyone off the street — the ideal part of this is to get everybody wanted off of our streets — but if we get one, it works,” she said.