Controller's IPhone app wins prize
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Controller's IPhone app wins prize
Catherine Lucey
Here's the release:
City Controller’s WatchDog App Wins National Award of Excellence
Fraud reporting app now available for Android users
PHILADELPHIA – City Controller Alan Butkovitz today announced his Philly WatchDog app is now available for Android users to report fraud and waste in Philadelphia. The release of the Android version is in addition to the Controller’s WatchDog app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod that was launched April 2011.
The National Association of Government Communicators recently honored the Controller’s Office with an Award of Excellence for its iPhone app. The Philly Watchdog app was recognized for being a special purpose product that according to one judge, “…was very impressive… and took advantage of new technology to reach out to and connect with citizens.”
“Our Office continues to be a leader in providing citizens with all the necessary tools to fight fraud and waste in Philadelphia,” said Butkovitz. “This is a great honor, not only for our office, but for the City of Philadelphia to be recognized nationally for its ability to meet today’s technological demands.”
When the Controller launched the Philly WatchDog app for Apple devices, it was the first app of its kind in the nation that focused on reporting fraudulent incidents directly to a government entity.
The Android app will have the same fraud-reporting capabilities as its Apple counterpart, such as the ability to record video and pictures or upload stored media, anonymous reporting, GPS to pinpoint location of incident, and a one-touch button to call the Controller’s Fraud hotline. The free app can be downloaded from Google Play (Android market).
“Whether you own an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you can join our fight to save taxpayers’ dollars by exposing waste and fraud in city government,” said Butkovitz.
To learn more about the Controller’s Philly WatchDog fraud-reporting apps, please visit the City Controller’s website at www.philadelphiacontroller.org
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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