A new program with a proven record for lowering crime is now in our area. Residents in Bingham County are the first in the state to have access to a new online police program that can keep them informed in an emergency. The numbers don’t lie. According to Nevada based AlertID, the crime rate almost always lowers when cities and counties implement their system.
AlertID is a two-way communications device that allows citizens to receive up to the minute information from authorities during an emergency. It also gives users access to an online database where they can view interactive crime stats, and identify where sex-offenders live on a map.
The Blackfoot Police Department is the first to install this program in Idaho. They are followed by other agencies like the Shelley Police and Aberdeen Police Departments and the Bingham County Sherriff’s Office.
Signing up is easy. All you have to do is go to the AlertID webpage, click on the link, fill out the form, which took us about two-minutes, and then you have access to crime alerts on your computer or even a mobile device.
The maps are interactive and easy to use and they pinpoint exactly the location where a crime was reported. The website also allows law enforcement to send alerts to your phone or email which can make a difference during an emergency.
The goal of the program is to inform, empower and educate the public and the formula seems to be working. In Henderson Nevada, violent crimes and property crimes dropped by 6 and 16 percent after they added the system. The Reno area is crediting the system for a staggering 32 percent reduction in crime, less than a year into the program.
It’s still too early to tell if Bingham County will have similar results but you can bet that other counties around the state will be watching to see.
The AlertID system is not just limited to reporting crime. It can also be used by law enforcement during severe weather and natural disasters, like the flood Bingham County had in 1997.
You can find more information at this link.
