Municipal Police Departments Nationwide Signing Up For Nixle

New service provides real-time, secure communications to consumers

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., March 20 /PRNewswire/ — Cities across the nation are forging agreements with Nixle, a new information service provider, to offer a safe and secure way to communicate with their local community in real time.

Nixle is a new community information service provider being rolled out nationwide. It was built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. Its authenticated service connects police departments, municipal agencies and community organizations to residents in real time, delivering information to geographically targeted consumers over their cell phones (via text messages), through e-mails and Web access. Nixle is offered at no cost to all governments, their agencies and organizations, nongovernmental organizations and consumers. No advertising is included with public safety information.

“We are honored that so many municipalities are recognizing the importance of our service as quickly as they are,” said Craig Mitnick, the founder and CEO of Nixle. “Law enforcement and community agencies across the country recognize the value of a safe and secure way to communicate to their residents in real time.”

Residents have the ability to decide what information they wish to receive. Nixle recently secured a partnership with Nlets (the International Justice and Public Safety Network), enabling local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories using their secure police terminals.

Bedford County, Pennsylvania’s Department of Emergency Services has recently gained access to Nixle and is preparing to launch the system in the immediate future.

“This is a great opportunity for my agency and my constituents. Nixle has provided an effective way for me to be connected to my county and its residents in times of disaster or need,” said David Cubbison, Director of Bedford County Department of Emergency Services. “As public safety monies are shrinking and budget cuts are an accepted part of everyday business, Nixle gives me the ability to provide direct communication and warning to our residents for free. In the past, we have found companies that provide similar services, but they have been cumbersome to use and difficult to manage and have cost between five to twenty thousand dollars a year.”

The California cities of San Diego, Escondido, Napa, Sonoma, National City, Beverly Hills, Vacaville, Walnut Creek, and 10 other California municipalities have gained access to test the certified secure platform. The service was launch in Chula Vista, Ca where it is live. In Arizona, the Scottsdale police department, along with several other agencies plans to launch the platform in the very near future. Municipalities in nine other states have also gained access and are working with Nixle.

“Speed and reliability is of the essence in relaying public safety information,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Rick Emerson. “Nixle enables us to release information both quickly and securely through both text messages and e-mails. We look forward both to our ability to better protect our residents.”

Nixle’s servers are all located at Nlets, providing added security from would-be hackers.

Aside from the security measure, another key feature of Nixle is it geographical targeting, Mitnick said. This allows information to be disseminated to any point or address in a desired geographic area. That same proprietary technology is available to consumers, so the most relevant information reaches the targeted individuals.

“Response from the community has been phenomenal,” said City of Chula Vista Communications Director Liz Pursell. “Residents appreciate the direct contact with their city. From our perspective, Nixle is a powerful tool that allows Chula Vista to reach residents with important information about events and services. It’s cost effective and time sensitive. In these tough economic times, that combination is a lifesaver.”

Mitnick noted that Nixle differs from current services such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, all of which provide unauthenticated platforms for connections. Nixle solves that problem by providing a single, standardized service for consumers to receive immediate and credible neighborhood-level public safety and community information.

“A couple months ago, then President-Elect Barack Obama’s social networking account was hacked. “Current social networking services are not built on authenticated and secure foundations, which translates to a bombshell waiting to explode when it comes to public safety information.” Mitnick said. “When it comes to public safety information, you have to trust the source. With Nixle, you will.”

About Nixle

Nixle is a community information service provider built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. It is the first authenticated and secure service that connects municipal agencies and community organizations to residents in real time, delivering information to geographically targeted consumers over their cell phones (via text messages), through e-mails and via Web access. Nixle has secured a partnership with Nlets (the International Justice and Public Safety Network), allowing local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories. Privately funded Nixle, which has offices in New Jersey and California, is free to all governments, their agencies and organizations, nongovernmental organizations and consumers. For more information, visit www.nixle.com or call Craig Mitnick at (609) 868-2800.

SOURCE Nixle