Tap Out Now (TON) mobile app

I am a retired law enforcement officer of twelve year, a veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom through my service in the United States Coast Guard.  The beginning of my law enforcement career and my adult life (18), was in a county jail as a corrections officer.  These experiences have significantly guided my involvement in the project we are proposing.   

For 5 years, I provided expert analysis and consulting to law enforcement across the country regarding the deployment and implementation of Body Worn Cameras.

In 2017, I started Crowdsourced Geofencing Solutions LLC, of which I am the CEO, to own and operate an app called 'See it Say it Send it'.  That app, a Suspicious Incident Reporting mobile app, is in use by law enforcement agencies across the country and in 25 states.

I have a Master's Degree in the Administration of Justice and Security.

We are committed to:

• solving jail overcrowding due to the occupation of minor offenders
• reducing the cost of jail operations
• reducing recidivism due to long term correctional exposure
• reducing extended jail stays due to poverty and expensive bond costs
• getting minor, non violent offender back into the community to restore family values, continue working and allow for the attendance of programs (ie. narcotics and alcohol abuse programs)

We are proposing our solution called Tap Out Now.  The platform allows correction facility the opportunity to release non violent, minor offenders simply with the download and registration to the app.  The app monitors their behavior through random check-ins, location check-ins and court/program attendance reminders.

It's our mission to elevate humanity by ensuring minor offenders get returned back to their families so they don't fall apart.  To get these offenders back to work so they don't suffer financially.

Specifically, we want to address Criminal Justice Reform with a practical, affordable solution.

Ten million people are arrested in the United States annually.  A large number of those arrested are for minor, first time, non violent offenses OR for missing a court date/program attendance.  

Many of those arrested committed the act(s) because they are already impoverished, lack support and need structural guidance not correctional detention.  In fact, it's proven that our correctional system is ineffective.

Citation: https://www.correctionalofficer.org/us-correctional-system

Here is our explainer video: 

From start to finish:

1. A person is arrest for a non violent, minor offense that meets the standard for release to the Tap Out Now platform
2. The jail or first appearance judge releases the person arrested and they have 24hrs to report to a TON counselor for onboarding
3. Onboarding includes the arrested person signing our contract, watching an onboarding video, downloading the app, registering in the app
4. The arrested person pays an affordable subscription rate to be monitored by the app
5. The app randomly checks in on the arrested person using biometrics, facial recognition, locations, etc
6. When the arrested person goes to trial, we provide the court system with a report of their behavior (checkins, locations, etc) during their release.

We serve every community, every person who could potentially find themselves in jeopardy based on an arrest for a minor offense.  An arrest followed by long detentions and expensive bonds can impact family environments, career opportunities and the ability to reform through programs. 

Our mission is to elevate people traditionally left behind because of their inability to afford bail or bond.  Tap Out Now is affordable, quick and easy.  It gives ALL people the ability to bail or bond out.  Not just the rich.

James Rouches came up with the idea through his involvement with the Harvest House and involve in our county criminal justice committee.  Together with my technology and law enforcement background, we created the ground work for the app.

We both feel that serious criminal justice reform is need so that the impoverished do not pay a higher price for arrest simply because they can not bond out.  We believe that people need to get back to work and families.  We want to see a lighter burden on tax payers and reduce jail overcrowding.  Our passion touches all corners of the vague desire for criminal justice reform.

We are well positioned because of our unique and industry specific experiences, education and connections.  We already have judicial systems locally that are onboard with the platform, we have beta tested app and we are on the way to release.

The first obstacle delivered to us was "What if someone doesn't follow the program (adhere to the checkins)?"

Our knowledge of the criminal justice system allowed us to respond as follows.

If someone released to our app does not check-in, we have measures in place to contact them to see if there is a technical challenge.  That being said, should they continue NOT to adhere to the app requirements, we can simply provide the journal of their release activities to their hearing judge to show their behavior.  We can do this in advance of their hearing date if needed.

When judges heard our response, they wholeheartedly agreed.  We overcame an objection/adversity to our platform.

As a USCG veteran, I was called upon many times to lead my team into dangerous, uncomfortable and outmatched situations.  Through their belief in my leadership and my rapport building, my team trusted me with their safety.  My knowledge of the mission at hand and continued communication with my team, sets me aside as a role model to them.

There is nothing like it.  We are using affordable technology that everyone carries...a cell phone.  Our app is unobtrusive which is unlike the typical ankle bracelet.  

We believe the change will greatly impact the key community members listed below.  We don't subscribe to poverty, race, sex, creed or otherwise should increase your detention by the criminal justice system.  Everyone has a smart device and if they don't our plan us to provide them at some point.  We believe that the quicker we can get people out of the system for minor offense and back to work, family and community the better the outcome of the challenge will be.

We just finished beta testing our project with 100 people in the Florida.

We would like to expand our platform through out Florida in year 1 and would like to onboard a minimum 1% of all US arrests by year 5.

Financially - we need more funds to complete and maintain our development.

Legally - we need help ensuring our program is acceptable in all 50 states and meets their legal requirements

Currently, we are seeking investment help and partnership opportunities but would use the the Elevate platform to address the barriers discussed above.

Sarasota County Criminal Justice Committee - we are using them to guide our workflow, legal requirements and to help find beta testers

The platform is an SaaS whereas the arrest and released person pays a subscription rate from release to hearing date.  We provide the app free in iOS and Android and have 24/7 support.

Our path to financial stability is through the increase in subscription.

We have not raised funds.  We have personally invested into the project.

We have pitched the idea to like minded investors and business partners but to date have not received any investment or dollars.

Technology Development - $170,000

Hosting, Web, Storage, SEO, Social Media - $35,000

Print Marketing, Conferences - $40,000

Office, Operating Expenses - $40,000