The Point Pleasant Police Department and Borough Officials are stepping up efforts to have as many people as possible register for Nixle, a free service that publishes alerts, advisories, traffic news and other community-relevant information in real-time.
“We have had the system in place since right after (Superstorm) Sandy,” Point Pleasant Police Chief Richard Larsen said this week. “We are making a stronger push now in an effort to reach more of our population as part of the overall social media and public outreach campaign in the Borough.”
Council President Toni DePaola, who is chair of the public safety committee, said social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are important pieces of the overall public outreach campaign in the Borough – and Nixle will play another crucial role.
“Our Police Department’s utilization of the Nixle system will provide our residents with immediate, important information that can keep them safe and in the know during certain situations,” the councilwoman said. “I strongly encourage all our residents and business owners to sign up.”
Nixle is a privately-owned, notification service that offers verified agencies, such as the Point Pleasant Police Department, the ability to instantly send messages to residents via texts, emails or through their website for localized emergency situations and relevant community advisories. Thousands of law enforcement and government agencies throughout the country currently use the system to keep their subscribers informed.
Chief Larsen said residents, business owners and anyone interested in receiving alerts from the Point Pleasant Police Department can register online through links on the Borough of Point Pleasant’s homepage, www.ptboro.com; the Police Department section of the Borough’s website; directly on the Nixle website, www.nixle.com, or by texting “08742” to “888777”.
Once registered, subscribers will receive a confirmation text and settings can be customized on the Nixle website.
“The service is geared toward cell phone users because it is information they can get on the go,” Chief Larsen said. “They can always unsubscribe at any time.”
More About Nixle
Launched in 2007, Nixle provides an open communication and engagement platform that connects public safety, municipalities, schools, businesses, residents and the communities they serve. Nixle enables real-time, two-way communication through text, email, voice messages, social media, and the Nixle mobile app. The Nixle engagement platform is relied on by over 8,000 agencies, fire and police departments, schools and hospitals for critical situations such as Severe Weather Events, Evacuations, Safety Hazards, Security Threats, Facilities Problems, Employee Notifications and IT/Telecom Disruptions.