In addition to the Facebook page,the chief on Thursday detailed how the city’s Community Emergency Notification System,or Reverse 9-1-1 works;noted the advantages of residents signing up to receive important,time-sensitive announcements from the department via text and / or e-mail through Nixle;advocated for residents to use the department’s anonymous crime tip system using Tipsoft,which allows one to submit a tip anonymously via text message or online;and announced the new Community Camera Partnership Program,in which the department teams with businesses and other private-sector institutions that utilize surveillance systems and is granted direct access to their camera systems.
Two additional ventures touted Thursday include the iWatch anti-terrorism program and Safe Return Long Beach,which offers special bracelets for individuals who are prone to wandering off,such as Alzheimer’s disease sufferers,that enables their whereabouts to be instantly detected using cell phone triangulation technology.
McConnell said that employing new technology is especially beneficial to the department in today’s stormy economy,which has seen the department’s budget shrink considerably.
“We have fewer resources today …. It’s important to use technology to maximize the personnel that we have today,”he said,adding that such tools allow the department to be more efficient without being more labor-intensive.
“We have experts in the department who are very well-versed in the technology,”McConnell said.
It is estimated that the benefits of these various hi-tech communications tools could potentially save the department hundreds of hours surveilling and investigating reported or suspected criminals.
The chief stressed,however,that none of the new technology eliminates the importance or effectiveness of calling 9-1-1 in an emergency.
More to come …