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(Special to The Independent News)

The Hazelwood Police Department is the first law enforcement agency in the St. Louis area to sign on with Nixle, a company providing the first certified and secure communication platform that allows police departments and city governments to connect with citizens. It will be using this new system to send out immediate alerts and advisories to local residents via cell phone, text messaging, E-mails and over the web.

Many cities that previously used social networking platforms are switching over to Nixle because of its secure communication platform. “Nixle is a more effective tool for communicating, in an official way, to our residents,” said Police Chief Carl Wolf, Hazelwood Police Department. “With this system, we can use our secure, closed-network terminals to send out trusted, up-to-the-minute information. We don’t have to worry about someone hacking into a Twitter or Facebook account and pretending to be a public official who sends out bogus information.”

Wolf goes on to say that Nixle is designed to keep citizens safe and to provide critical information and instructions, often in situations where conventional media can’t move quickly enough. “The system will be particularly useful to us in responding quickly to Amber Alerts, violent crimes and missing person cases. We can also send out instant alerts about major traffic problems, road closures, utility outages, as well as extreme weather incidents,” added Wolf.

Hazelwood residents can sign up for this information service free of charge. All they need to do is to visit www.nixle.com and click on the button that reads, “Register now. It’s free and easy.” Residents can choose how they want to receive the information whether it’s by cell phone, text messaging, E-mail or over the web. They have the option of making more than one choice. According to Wolf, “It’s a great way for residents to stay connected to what’s happening in their community and in the neighborhood where they live.”

For more information on Nixle, contact Sgt. Don Routh at (314) 513-5208 or visit www.nixle.com.