Sheriff encourages public safety networking

PRINCETON — Public safety has taken another step forward through the use of technology, according to Bureau County Sheriff John Thompson.

Thompson has announced the Bureau County Sheriff’s Department has partnered with a provider to allow for emergency and informational notifications to be sent directly to area citizens. Those notifications can be received through the use of cell phone text messaging, e-mail, an Internet Web site or any combination of these notification means, the sheriff said.

On Monday, Thompson gave several hypothetical examples of situations in which the public would benefit from the emergency informational notifications. For instance, if there was a school shooting or hostage situation, parents would be notified of the recommended location to get their children. If a roadway, such as Interstate 80, was blocked because of an accident, the public would be notified so they could adjust their travel plans, the sheriff said. Or, if dangerous weather was approaching, such as a tornado, the public could receive that emergency notification, the sheriff said.

“As critical events develop, it is always in the interest of community safety when your sheriff’s office can notify you of the circumstances, the emergency, or the specific event of interest,” Thompson said. “Notification of critical incidents, road closures, missing persons and for many, many additional reasons, this service can be provided to our citizens in a timely and convenient manner.”

There is no cost to the law enforcement support program, Thompson said. The emergency notification service is provided free to Bureau County residents and other subscribers. The registration process is simple and secure, he said.

To participate in the public safety program, Bureau County residents can register on the Internet site of www.nixle.com. For residents who do not have access to the Internet, they may visit their local library for assistance in registering for the service on their cell phones, Thompson said.

“This is an important part of our community service,” Thompson said. “We want as many people as possible to take advantage of this free service.”

When he first started researching the community awareness service a couple years ago, the cost for the service would have been about $30,000, Thompson said. Bureau County did not have that kind of money. Now, the program is free through Nixle’s Community Information Service program.

Questions regarding this service can be directed to Thompson at (815) 875-3344.

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