DETROIT, MI -- The Detroit Police Department, not traditionally known for being on the cutting edge of technology, is when it comes to harnessing the power of smart phone communication with the public.

The Department officially release DPD Connect 1.0 Tuesday, a smart phone application that offers a variety of immediate information, allows users to submit anonymous crime tips and offers a full by-Precinct phone directory including contact information for neighborhood police officers and others.

The "news" section on Tuesday included the announcement of the app release attended by Mayor Mike Duggan; a serious missing person report for 65-year-old Bertha R. Moore-Ladd who was last seen Sunday; a sketch of a hit-and-run suspect a CBS Detroit story about a dog rescued from a west side house fire and a variety of other items.

The free application designed by Detroit Labs is available through Google Play and the iPhone App Store.

"The thing I'd hear from citizens over and over again is, 'Nobody answers the phone.' 'I don't know who to talk to.' 'They pass me around.' 'Nobody responds,'" Duggan said during the unveiling according to WJBK, Fox 2 News. "There was a sense in this town that city government was non-functional and didn't really care ... And if you look at the pieces that have been put into place, that attitude has changed."

