With a massive patrol area that stretches from mountain tops out into the sea, state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE) officers do important work to protect our natural, cultural and historic resources.

Around 120 conservation officers in this enforcement arm of the Department of Land & Natural Resources have the daunting task of patrolling 3 million acres of state ocean waters, 3.2 million acres of state/conservation lands and 750 miles of coastline.

With the new DLNRTip app announced last week, people on Maui can connect directly with conservation officers, view alerts and submit anonymous tips from smartphones.

Developed by tip411, the app is an innovative program that encourages people to provide DOCARE with factual information leading to the arrest of anyone who poaches or harasses protected wildlife species, pollutes or violates any state conservation resources rules.

Some 1,400 communities around the country are currently using the application developed and managed by tip411.

DLNR Chair Suzanne Case said, “We think DLNRtip is a natural extension of the DLNR & You brand and furthers our belief that we can’t protect our state’s natural and cultural resources without the thousands of eyes and ears of concerned citizens who can serve as proxies for DOCARE officers, who clearly cannot be everywhere all the time. DLNRTip will better connect our officers to people and expedite receipt of tips of wrongdoing and our subsequent responses.”

The DLNRTip app and tip411 are completely anonymous – the technology removes all identifying information before officers see tips. There is no way to identify senders.

DLNRTip is available for download for free via the Google Play Store, iTunes App Store, or by visiting the DOCARE website at dlnr.hawaii.gov/docare.

People without a smartphone can send an anonymous text tip via their cell phone to DOCARE by texting keyword DLNRTIP and their message/tip to 847411 (tip411). Anonymous tips can also be submitted through the DOCARE website and the Statewide Hotline at 643-DLNR.

Do your part to help protect natural and cultural resources in Hawaii.