Wally Wise Guy's Wise Words of the Week: City Launches Police Alerts on ReadyNotifyPA

The Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) and the Office of Emergency Management have partnered to make police alerts from the PPD available to the public through ReadyNotifyPA (www.readynotifypa.org), the City’s emergency text and email alert system. Alerts sent from the Philadelphia Police Department will include crime alerts, safety and prevention tips and informational announcements, such as upcoming community meetings. 

“We need as many ways to connect with our community members as possible,” said Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey. “This is a great way for all who live and work here in Philadelphia to get involved with the Department, as well as receive important information about crime patterns, trends and wanted persons.”

“With the addition of police alerts to this system, the Police Department is now able to get critical information to the public very quickly,” said Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management MaryAnn E. Tierney. “Any relevant information the public can provide to 9-1-1 about a crime or alleged perpetrator will help make the City safer for all of us. Additionally, ReadyNotifyPA is an excellent tool for all Philadelphians to use in partnering with the Police Department in ongoing community initiatives.”

The public can sign up to receive three different types of police alerts, including single district alerts (such as alerts based on the district in which they live), multiple police districts, or city-wide police alerts. Additionally, users can receive traffic alerts, offered jointly by the PPD and PennDOT. The crime alerts sent by the Department may include information about violent crimes, wanted offenders, crime patterns and Amber Alerts, as well informational messages relevant to the subscriber’s neighborhood, which can include local community meetings and events, safety tips and crime prevention messages.

“Many people are used to receiving information via email and cell phones,” said Managing Director Camille Barnett. “We want all of our citizens to know that alerts coming from ReadyNotifyPA will be sent when it matters most. This is another way that we can bridge the information divide between City government and the public we serve.”

Powered by Cooper Notification’s Roam Secure Alert Network™ (RSAN™), police alerts sent through ReadyNotifyPA are free for subscribers. Wireless carrier providers, however, may apply standard text messaging rates. Subscribers will be able to register an unlimited number of devices and accounts to receive messages from ReadyNotifyPA. Visit www.readynotifypa.org, and click on “Philadelphia, PA” to sign up and stay informed.