Sanbornton police introduce new e-notification service that allows residents to keep in touch

SANBORNTON — The Police Department is not utilizing a new communication system that allows it to send important, valuable community information directly to residents using the latest technology.

Chief Stephen Hankard said The Nixle Community Information Service allows "us to create and publish messages to be delivered to subscribed residents instantly via cell phone text message and/or e-mail." Notifications can also be accessed online at Nixle's web site at www.nixle.com and our web site at www.sanborntonpolice.org.

Messages may include missing persons, warnings of criminal activity, as well as other relevant safety and community event information.

Through this system, Hankard said, the Police Department and Fire Department will be able to keep the community informed of public safety issues that could affect our citizens. "This knowledge will keep our community safer and may help us solve the emergencies that may come up," he said. "The service is secure, reliable and easy to use for our group."

The messages can be sent specifically to residents registered within a 1/4 mile radius, giving them the opportunity to receive trustworthy information relevant only to their neighborhood. Residents decide from which local agencies they want to receive information. Subscribers can also choose the way in which alerts are received, whether it is by email, text message, or over the web.

Nixle builds on the foundations of other public-to-public communication services, such as Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace, but adds a key component: security. "When citizens receive information from our agency via Nixle, they know it can be trusted," said Hankard.

Residents of Sanbornton and those in neighboring communities can immediately begin receiving pertinent information via text message, e-mail, and web by registering at www.nixle.com or www.sanborntonpolice.org.

"We are very excited to have you experience it for yourself," said Hankard.