[October 29, 2009]

Police boost alerts: Burlington expands communication options for community.

Oct 29, 2009 (The Hawk Eye - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- More information when it comes to alerts, missing persons -- especially children -- road conditions and other traffic-related matters, benefits residents in any community, authorities say.

The faster such information is dispensed and the more people it reaches, the better.

Emergency and alert notifications often are the responsibility of law enforcement, and many agencies across the country are turning to technology to better inform the public of what's taking place -- both for awareness and, at times, to encourage the free exchange of information.

Wednesday, the Burlington Police Department launched two community-based information services to help accomplish those goals.

Nixle allows subscribers to receive timely alerts and advisories via cell phones, e-mail alerts or over the Web.

To sign up for the service, residents can log on to nixle.com and follow the online prompts.

"Nixle will be an invaluable tool for keeping our citizens informed of everything from traffic congestion issues to emergency alerts," said Maj. Doug Beaird, assistant chief of the Burlington Police Department. "And the big thing is that it's free and easy to use." Other jurisdictions use the system, and subscribers can keep tabs on other communities Nixle monitors. The site is secure, officials say, and no spam is circulated.

It also is free to entities using it.

Also Wednesday, the department began posting Crime Reports on its Web site, www.burlingtoniowa.org/police. It gives users the opportunity to look up reported incidents anywhere in the city.

Crime Reports has a mapping system and lettered locations. Users click on a specific location, and all the incidents in that geographical area will be displayed.

Whether it is a theft, assault or burglary, the site will name the kind of call along with an identifier number, which usually is the call number.

Soon, officials say they will launch "A Child is Missing" alert system, an added tool devoted to helping law enforcement search and hopefully safely recover children, people with Alzheimer's or other disabled people using a rapid-response neighborhood alert program using high-tech telephony systems.

Somewhat similar to the Code Red system, A Child is Missing can place thousands of calls in any geographical area within seconds.

Additional information about the system and how residents can register for it will be forthcoming when officials are ready to launch it, Beaird said.

Like other law enforcement agencies across the country, the Burlington Police Department is making it easier for residents to see its day-to-day activities.

Two years ago, the department updated its Web site, installing features such as arrest records and daily activity reports.

The daily activity has the locations officers were called to over the previous three days, as well as information regarding the nature of the call.

On the other spectrum, the arrest report contains the name, age, address and charges of the person arrested.

Updating the site took two years and involved tweaks when it started posting information.

The department's computer system recognizes what is a public record and what is not before the data is moved to the site. For example, a person's Social Security number normally listed when that person is booked into jail would not appear when the record is transferred to the Web site. Every thing else is public record.

To see more of The Hawk Eye or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.thehawkeye.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Hawk Eye, Burlington, Iowa Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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