The NYPD is stepping up its game when trying to solve crimes. It's rolling out a Crime Stoppers app to make it easier for people to send videos, pictures and tips to officers.

Lieutenant Philip Roy is the commanding officer of the Crime Stoppers Unit. He says the app is a secure and safe way to communicate with investigators,

"The tipster would be issued a code number. This code number is totally anonymous. At no time are any names, IP addresses or phones numbers recorded," Roy said.

The app is the next generation of the NYPD's 1-800-577-TIPS hotline. And yes, tipsters still can get up to $2,500 for information that leads to an arrest and indictment.

The app is free and comes in 10 languages. It puts everything at a person's fingertips for reporting details about a suspected crime.

"We can interact and have a conversation via the app with the tipster who will always remain anonymous. We do not go out and speak to them," Sgt. Erica Rivera said while standing outside Police Headquarters near a Crime Stoppers mobile unit.

There's also the ability for investigators to ask questions at a later date by using the app and the code number given to a tipster, according to Lieutenant Roy.

"So if they said John Smith did the robbery down the block, and then later on, they get a better picture of John Smith, they can go back into the app and update their tip with images and things like that," Roy said.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea touts Crime Stoppers as being a major tool in solving crimes since its inception in the early 1980s.

"Every day, I get a report and the tips that came in the night before on crimes that run from sexual assaults, rapes, homicides, shootings throughout New York City," Shea said.

The Police Foundation, a private nonprofit organization that funds various NYPD initiatives, provides the money paid to tipsters by the Crime Stoppers program. The Foundation reports it has doled out $2.5 million in reward money over the last 36 years.

The new app can be downloaded through the app store on your mobile device by searching for "NYPD Crime Stoppers."