Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department continues to expand the use of Nixle as a communication platform.
Since piloting Nixle in October 2009, the Los Angeles area user base has grown from a few hundred to well over 40,000 and growing. Nixle is a service that is free to the City of Los Angeles and to the community.
In uncertain budgetary times public-private partnerships take on a more critical role. Similar partnerships, such as Web-Tips, Text-a-Tip, and the newest, Crimestoppers, have opened portals for the Department to receive information from the community. Nixle is the first professional-grade mass communications platform which allows the police department to communicate directly with a geographically specific portion of the community in real time and at any time.
With Nixle the Police Department can establish "short codes" to communicate with specific groups. These "short code" protocols have been tested in both First Amendment Protests and Search and Rescue situations. A group of protesters or a group of volunteer searchers can text a specially created short code for their event and instantaneously, they are all in connected to the Incident Command Post. Messages from the Command Post can be used to debunk rumors or to keep everyone informed on public safety issues.
In late 2009, in a public and private partnership, the communities from across the City enrolled in this free public-safety communications platform. The communities served by Topanga, Wilshire and West Valley Areas recorded more Nixle subscribers than any of the other Areas Citywide.
Nixle has awarded grant monies to the top three communities (Topanga Area - $5000, Wilshire Area - $3000 and West Valley Areas $2000). Nixle’s goal in awarding these grants was to help increase the user base and thereby help increase the likelihood that Nixle can actually help solve a crime or find a missing child. The only stipulation on the use of the money is that it to be used to further excellence in policing, including employee wellness.
In accepting the funds, the Department is under no obligation of any kind to Nixle. Chief Beck said, "Employee wellness is on my list of goals for 2010, and especially in these uncertain budgetary times, I am sure that the Nixle awards will be put to good use.
For more information about Nixle or to register for free updates directly from the LAPD, please log on to www.Nixle.com. To view or download the Nixle media kit, please go the the following link: http://www.nixle.com/mediakit.html or visit www.Nixle.com
The Nixle updates are a pain! I have unsubscribed from everything except the highest level disaster alerts, yet continue to receive notifications about police classes and bike thieves. This cheapens the service to a point where I am inclined to unsubscribe even from the disaster alerts so that I am not constantly spammed.
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