MAEBASHI GUNMA PREF. – The Gunma Prefectural Police said they will work with NTT Corp. to develop a smartphone application that alerts users about areas where suspicious people have been reported.

The police published about 1,200 pieces of information related to suspicious persons on its website last year based on tips from citizens, such as about a schoolgirl being chased by a man or a man exposing himself in front of a high school girl.

They aim to complete the product in fiscal 2013 at the earliest. The effort will involve the force, the Gunma branch of NTT East Corp. and Kanto Gakuen University.