Sacramento Shooting: Why Are Police Using A QR Code?

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SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - For the first time since its creation, the QR code is being used by Sacramento Police Department. They're using these custom black and white graphics to make it easy for people to send them tips. In this case, the tips they're requesting are about the weekend shooting that left six peopled dead and 12 people injured.

For those unfamiliar with QR codes, similar to a barcode, these are computer-generated graphics that contain information electronic devices can read and interpret. In most cases, QR codes tell the device to go to a website -- it's a perfect solution for those really long URLs.

So, instead of fumbling with a keyboard, users just have to pull out their phone, launch the camera, tap on the pop-up, and the phone does the rest. It's the same for iOS and Android users.

If you scanned the Sacramento Police Department QR code, you'd be taken to the police department's evidence submission portal: https://sacramentopdca.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/april3shooting. The directions say that after you fill out your personal information, the Department will send you a link to a secure web page to submit tips. They also sent the code for the Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers. If you click on that link, you'll be taken to a page with a "submit a tip button."

Investigators are asking anyone with videos or information on the shooting to send it to them using the QR code. So far police say they've received nearly 200 tips, pictures, and videos through the online portal.

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