DART Ditches Text Service to Report Crime in Favor of App

Dallas Area Rapid Transit riders will no longer be able to use a text service to report crime, and instead must use the DART Say Something Safety and Security app. The former DART Police Text service ended Nov. 1.With the app, which was rolled out in September, users can send photos, six-second videos, text descriptions and locations to DART police."The majority of our users aren't experts at reporting crime," spokesman Mark Ball said.Users will now also be able to have two-way communication with DART, rather than a one-way submission. This can help provide police with additional information, Ball said, such as location or description of a suspect.The app, unlike the text service, is designed to function even in areas without cell service, like the Cityplace tunnel between Mockingbird, as well as the Cityplace/Uptown and Pearl/Arts District stations. Reports sent in these areas will be stored and delivered once service returns, according to the app's website.The app has seen more than 2700 downloads since its launch, Ball said.This feature comes after concerns have been raised about the safety of riding the DART. Just two weeks ago, a teen was pistol-whipped, choked and robbed on the DART train while riding home from school.  Continue reading...