Under the program, people who want to provide information on crimes, but keep their identity secret, can text to CRIMES (274637), type in LAPD and text any information they might have on a crime. They will receive a text message back that the tip was received and they will be given an alias to use if a reward is available.

Hoping to encourage tech-savvy residents to help solve crimes, the Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday joined a national network that allows the public to use text-messaging to provide anonymous tips.

Under the program, people who want to provide information on crimes, but keep their identity secret, can text to CRIMES (274637), type in LAPD and text any information they might have on a crime. They will receive a text message back that the tip was received and they will be given an alias to use if a reward is available.

"A lot of times people are fearful of dealing directly with police," Police Chief William Bratton said at a news conference in the LAPD's Emergency Operations Center, where the messages will be received and forwarded to detectives.

"This gives them a way to report information and not worry about any retaliation."

The concept of using cell-phone texting from witnesses to crimes was developed in Boston, when that city's police commissioner showed up at a crime scene and noticed young people texting information about it to their friends.

Since then, the texting program has been adopted by law enforcement agencies across the nation.

"Sometimes, it's the smallest tip that helps," Bratton said.

Sheriff Lee Baca agreed, saying that often the departments are able to gather a lot of hard evidence at a crime scene, but still need witnesses to help them make a case.

The texting, which carries standard rates for users, is the latest tool in the LAPD's arsenal as crime continues to drop to historic lows.Bratton said violent crime is down 5.3 percent for the year and down 12.6 percent over the past two years.

Gang crime has also decreased dramatically, with gang related homicides down 26.5 percent this year compared with last year and down 57.1 percent since 2002.

"We are seeing crime rates that we haven't seen since the 1950s or 1960s," Bratton said. "And we have a million-and-a-half or 2 million more people living here."