Privacy Policy

Need To ID (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is a public bulletin distribution platform operated by Badge Apps. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you use our website at https://www.needtoid.com and related services (collectively, the “Service”).

By using the Service you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

Information you provide directly

• Tip submissions. When you submit a tip through a bulletin page, we collect the information you choose to provide — your name, email address, phone number, details about an identified subject, and a free-text tip description. Tip contact fields are optional; you may submit anonymously.
• Subscription sign-ups. When you subscribe to bulletin notifications, we collect your email address and your geographic preferences (metro areas, states, or specific agencies).
• Law enforcement accounts. Officers who register for a law enforcement account provide a name, work email address, and agency affiliation during sign-up.
• Contact form. If you contact us directly, we receive your name, email address, and message contents.

Information collected automatically

• Log and usage data. Our servers automatically record information such as your IP address, browser type and version, pages viewed, referring URL, and the date and time of your request.
• Approximate location. We infer a general geographic region (metro area or state) from your IP address in order to surface locally relevant bulletins. We do not collect precise GPS location.
• Cookies and local storage. We use technically necessary cookies and browser storage to maintain session state and remember your preferences. We do not use tracking or advertising cookies.

• To route tips to the appropriate law enforcement agency or detective for follow-up.
• To send bulletin notification emails based on your subscription preferences.
• To authenticate and support law enforcement user accounts.
• To display geographically relevant bulletins on the homepage and browse pages.
• To monitor the security, integrity, and performance of the Service.
• To investigate fraud, abuse, or violations of our terms.
• To respond to support requests and questions.
• To comply with applicable legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for targeted advertising.

Tips submitted through the Service are forwarded to the relevant law enforcement agency contact and to our platform inbox for quality assurance. Tips may include your IP address and browser information, which are shared with the receiving agency solely for investigative integrity purposes.

If you submit a tip anonymously (without providing contact details), we still log the submission metadata (IP address, timestamp) for security and abuse-prevention purposes. This metadata is not shared publicly.

Once a tip is transmitted to a law enforcement agency, that agency's own policies govern the handling and retention of the information you provided.

We may share your information with:

• Law enforcement agencies. Tip submissions are routed to the designated detective or agency contact for the relevant bulletin.
• Service providers. We use third-party vendors (including Amazon Web Services and email delivery providers) to operate the Service. These providers process data only as directed by us and under appropriate data protection agreements.
• Legal process. We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or lawful request from a government authority.
• Protection of rights. We may disclose information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.

Subscription preferences and account information are retained as long as your account or subscription is active. You may unsubscribe or request deletion at any time (see “Your Choices” below).

Tip submissions and associated metadata are retained for a period consistent with law enforcement investigative timelines, generally not less than three years from submission, and may be retained longer if required by legal hold or ongoing investigation.

Server log data is retained for up to 90 days for security and diagnostic purposes.

We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect the information we hold, including encryption in transit (TLS), encryption at rest, access controls, and audit logging. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted information through the Service, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

• Unsubscribe. You may manage or cancel bulletin subscriptions at any time by visiting needtoid.com/community/subscriptions.
• Account deletion. Law enforcement users may request account deletion by contacting us at the email below.
• Data access or correction. You may request a copy of or correction to personal information we hold about you by contacting us.
• Cookies. You may configure your browser to refuse cookies. Note that some features of the Service may not function correctly without them.

The Service may contain links to external websites or social media platforms operated by law enforcement agencies or other third parties. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy. For material changes, we will make reasonable efforts to notify subscribed users by email.

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact us at: