Citizens can send pictures of potholes, graffiti, or trash from smartphone.

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced the official launch of Baltimore’s new 311 Mobile App. The service allows citizens to report service requests from an iPhone or Android smartphone. The first edition of the mobile app has over fifty different service requests to choose from, including complaints about trash, potholes, graffiti, and malfunctioning traffic signs.

“The new 311 Mobile App allows citizens to have real-time collaboration with their government,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “If you see a pothole, graffiti, or a broken streetlight, you can see it, shoot it, and send it to us—we have an app for that!”

The free smartphone application automatically pinpoints the location of the reported problem by using Global Positioning Satellite technology. Allowing the user to attach a photo and the exact location to the service request will give the City-dispatched crew a better idea of what equipment and tools to bring in order to fix the problem the first time. Reports made to the system can be anonymous, and citizens can track the status of their requests any time with the new mobile app. When the repair is completed, the city will notify the person who reported the issue.

In 1996, Baltimore became the first city in the country to provide a 311 Call Center to answer police non-emergency calls and free up 911 lines for emergency situations. Since then, 311 has become a vital tool for communicating with residents on all City services, ranging from potholes to bulk trash, and most recently sand bag pickups and downed trees. Baltimore has aggressively used data from 311 in conjunction with CitiStat to drive efficiency in service delivery and to improve the deployment of resources. The new 311 Mobile App is a giant leap forward in Baltimore’s ability to connect with residents, promote transparency, and be responsive to the way citizens want to interact with their government.

In addition to the mobile application, a web version is also available at http://311.baltimorecity.gov! Also follow @Baltimore311 on Twitter.