Tags Explained

Tags refine a bulletin's routing and make it easier to find — beyond what its bulletin type alone can do. Unlike a description, tags are a fixed, controlled vocabulary: pick from a list, don't type your own.

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Tags vs. bulletin type

Bulletin type sets the broad category and determines core routing and available fields. Tags sit underneath that — a set of optional, more specific labels (Homicide, Narcotics, Stolen Vehicle, and about 30 others) that help subscribers and search find bulletins relevant to their role or area. The same full list of tags is available no matter which bulletin type you pick — tags aren't restricted by type.

Tags appear in the wizard's first step, directly below the bulletin type dropdown — select all that apply, or use Select all / Clear all to move faster.

Bulletin creation wizard — Tags section below the type dropdown, showing grouped checkboxes with Select all / Clear all

The four tag categories

Every tag falls into one of four groups, shown as columns in the wizard.

Crimes Against Persons

BOLO
Homicide
Assault
Robbery
Vehicular Hijacking
Sex Offense
Human Trafficking
Kidnapping
Domestic Violence

Crimes Against Public Order

Narcotics
Weapons / Explosives
Immigration Enforcement
Terrorism
Gang / Organized Crime

Crimes Against Property

Theft
Burglary
Stolen Vehicle
Vehicle Crimes
Fraud
Organized Retail Crime
Smash and Grab
Serial Shoplifting

Other

Warrant
In Custody
Campus Safety
Hospitality and Public Venues
Transit / Transportation
Deceased Individual
Unidentified Remains
Locate Next of Kin

Every bulletin type offers the same tags

Tags don't change based on the bulletin type you selected — the same full list is available whether you're creating a Crime Investigation, a Jurisdiction Record, or any other type. Apply whichever tags actually describe the bulletin, regardless of type.

Tips

Tags are optional — but they power subscriptions

A subscription built around a tag (say, Narcotics or School Safety) only fires when that tag is actually applied to the bulletin. Skipping tags on a relevant bulletin means the officers subscribed to that category never hear about it.

Tags aren't the same as Special Tags

Officer Safety, Attempt to Locate, Attempt to Identify, and the national alert designations (AMBER, Ashanti, Silver, Ebony, Feather/Turquoise) are a separate concept — Special Tags — configured just below Tags in the same step. See Bulletin Types Explained for how those work.

Apply every tag that fits

Bulletins commonly qualify for more than one tag — a vehicle theft with a weapon involved might warrant both Vehicle Crimes and Weapons / Explosives. Select all that apply; there's no penalty for a bulletin carrying several tags.