FBI and OAAA renew partnership to support public safety

The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) announced the renewal of its partnership with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, extending a nationwide program that uses out of home (OOH) media to support law enforcement and public safety efforts across the United States.

Originally launched in 2007, the FBI’s Digital Billboard Initiative has evolved from a pilot program in Philadelphia into a nationwide network spanning more than 10,000 digital screens. Through OAAA and its member companies, media owners donate digital billboard space to display fugitives, missing persons alerts, and urgent public safety messages in the communities where they are most relevant.

“Out of home is uniquely positioned to connect people with information that matters in the moments and places where it can have the greatest impact,” said Anna Bager, President and CEO, OAAA. “This partnership reflects the strength of our medium at its best, leveraging presence, scale, and immediacy to support public safety. By mobilizing a nationwide network of screens, our industry is helping law enforcement generate leads, accelerate investigations, and ultimately bring cases to resolution.”

Over nearly two decades, the program has contributed to resolving more than 58 cases and generated over 28,000 tips across investigations nationwide. In multiple instances, individuals have turned themselves in after seeing their images displayed, while in others, tips generated by billboards have directly led to arrests and advancements in active investigations.

Notable cases demonstrate this impact in practice:

• Fruita, Colorado (2019): Jason Lee Robinson, known as the “Traveling Bandit,” was identified and arrested after a tipster saw his image displayed on a billboard, and the FBI attributed the capture directly to billboard publicity.
• Tampa, Florida (2017): Demeko Wells turned himself in one day after his image appeared on digital billboards, later confirming the exposure influenced his decision. He was charged with identity theft, access device fraud, and conspiracy.
• Las Vegas, Nevada (2017): After the Route 91 Harvest Festival tragedy, digital billboards deployed across the region generated more than 4,000 tips from the public.

“The digital billboard initiative puts critical public safety information in the right place at the right time,” said Ben Williamson, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Office of Public Affairs. “Over the years, tips received because of billboards have helped the FBI capture violent criminals, solve complex crimes, and educate the public about threats to the community. It has been one of the FBI’s most successful private partnerships. We are grateful to the media owners who donate valuable digital space to help us keep Americans safe.”

Digital out of home gives law enforcement a powerful combination of speed, scale, and geographic precision. Messages can be deployed quickly, updated in real time, and targeted to specific locations, allowing agencies to respond when timing matters most. By turning everyday audiences into potential witnesses, DOOH extends the reach of investigations and increases the likelihood that someone will recognize a face and come forward.

That impact is reflected in the data. Recent research shows that 76 percent of adults ages 18 to 64 report taking action after seeing a DOOH campaign, and 46 percent of adults in this age group say the format drives engagement. For law enforcement, that engagement translates directly into tips, calls, and actionable leads. And with a nationwide network spanning billboards, transit, street furniture, and place-based screens, OOH provides a dynamic communications infrastructure that reaches people where they are, in the moments that matter most.

As part of the renewed agreement, OAAA and its members will continue working with the FBI and field offices nationwide to expand participation and support additional public safety initiatives.