Tuesday, October 26, 2010

NIXLE alerts - only urgent ones, please

When I signed up last week for NIXLE alerts from the McHenry County Sheriff's Department, I was hoping to receive only emergency-type announcements; you know, like if a prisoner escapes from the jail or a homicidal maniac runs out of the courtroom and escapes from the courthouse.

Yesterday I received an "alert" from the Crystal Lake P.D. about Halloween trick-or-treat hours. I don't want such "alerts" and I don't need any P.D. telling me how to keep kids safe. What NIXLE doesn't tell you, when you sign up, is this (from the C.L. PD reply):

"Nixle allows for agencies to send information to Nixle subscribers within a 10 mile radius. The radius allows for messages will go to any subscriber based the address they registered. Even though you may have subscribed to the McHenry County Sheriff’s office, the message can be sent to any and all regardless of jurisdiction. As a result, we are able to send information outside of the Crystal Lake City limits. Some Nixle bulletins will stay within Crystal Lake as they would not be of benefit to residents outside of our jurisdiction. This Halloween message obviously applies to anyone and everyone."

When I tried to access my NIXLE account via the link in the alert, I found the link to be broken, so I emailed the C.L. PD officer in charge of NIXLE. I received a prompt and polite reply with a tollfree number to call at NIXLE. When I called it, I learned that NIXLE does not provide telpehone support to civilians.

So I'll email them, and perhaps they will correct the link in future email alerts.

Don't you just love (hate!) snafus like these???

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