Privacy-protective submission workflow

Secure Tip Submission for Safer Communities

Public Guards gives individuals a safe way to share critical information with law enforcement while choosing the level of privacy that is right for them.

Encrypted

In transit and at rest

Privacy-protective

Identifying metadata removed

Authorized access

Agency users only

Public Guards is an independent platform, not law enforcement or Crime Stoppers. In an emergency, call 911.

Choose the level of privacy that's right for you

Two submission options. Both are secured. You decide how much, if anything, the agency learns about you.

Truly Anonymous Tip

Designed to protect your identity. Submissions are routed through a privacy-protective intermediary that strips identifying metadata, including IP address, device, and browser identifiers, before the tip is delivered to the appropriate agency.

  • No name, contact details, or follow-up
  • Identifying metadata removed before delivery
  • You receive a reference number to retain

Confidential Tip

Allows you to provide limited contact information so an authorized agency representative can follow up if needed. Your information is visible only to authorized agency users with appropriate permissions.

  • Optional name, phone, or email
  • Authorized agency follow-up available
  • Access controlled by role and jurisdiction

How it works

A clear, structured process from submission to follow-up.

STEP 01

Choose your tip type

Truly Anonymous or Confidential. You decide.

STEP 02

Provide incident details

Share what happened, when, and where.

STEP 03

Select the agency

Route the tip to the appropriate jurisdiction.

STEP 04

Submit securely

Your submission is encrypted in transit.

STEP 05

Agency follow-up

Authorized agency users review and act on the tip.

Who can submit tips

Public Guards is built for anyone who has information that could help keep a community safe.

Community Members

Concerned residents who notice something that doesn't belong.

Victims

Survivors who want to share information on their own terms.

Witnesses

Anyone who saw, heard, or learned something important.

Incarcerated Individuals

Tips from inside correctional facilities.

Correctional Staff

Employees reporting concerns within their facility.

Concerned Family

Family and friends with critical information to share.

Built for the agencies that receive tips

Public Guards provides the secure intake and routing platform. We are not a law enforcement agency or Crime Stoppers. Authorized agency and program users can securely review, triage, categorize, and manage incoming tips from their jurisdiction, with role-based access controls and a full audit trail.

Tip Inbox

Jurisdiction routing

Urgency triage

Audit logs