Authorities used a secure, group text-messaging service offered for free to the city by start-up company Nixle to coordinate communication among the estimated 5,700 officers used for the summit. Radio broadcasts alone wouldn't have been enough, said Lt. Charles Rodriguez.
"You might have frequencies and radios that can't talk to each other," Rodriguez said. "A lot of agencies coming from out of town might not have our frequency. For example, Miami-Dade wouldn't need Pittsburgh police on their radio normally, so how do you communicate with those people? Nixle (made) it very easy because all you have to do is add their number to the distribution list."
It's just one of the services Nixle offers that some Western Pennsylvania organizations and municipalities — from Fineview Citizens Council to Cranberry Township — are taking advantage of.
Groups can use a municipal or community "wire" to send subscribers text messages or e-mails about anything from traffic alerts to Amber Alerts. The messages are posted on Nixle's Web site.
"It's a way to stay connected to information that's relevant to where you live or where you're located," said Craig Mitnick, founder and chief executive officer of the Mt. Laurel, N.J.-based company.
Nixle offers the wire services for free but will charge for the internal text messaging service, which it plans to begin by year's end, Mitnick said. The company will continue to offer the service at no cost to Pittsburgh police, he said.
The internal texts proved to be a valuable tool during the summit, Rodriguez said.
"It was almost like a play-by-play," he said. "Imagine not being able to watch a sports game, but you're able to read that such-and-such hit a single. You're not seeing it, but you're getting the best descriptive message of what's going on."
Officers added their cell phone numbers or e-mail addresses to a distribution list, and messages went out to either targeted groups of officers or the entire force.
In one instance, a message went out to select officers to investigate claims — later proven unfounded — of a sniper on a building's roof, said Mitnick, who estimated authorities sent more than 200 texts during the week of the summit.
Cranberry police have used the municipal wire service since August. About 100 residents have subscribed for updates, but the township plans to launch a campaign to get more residents involved, said police Lt. Kevin Meyer.
"When we had that Tea Party come to Cranberry Township (last month), we were able to make notifications on Nixle letting people know there were numerous vehicles piling into our North Boundary Park and letting residents know to avoid that area if at all possible," Meyer said. "There's a mutual benefit to residents and the municipality. We're able to get the information out, and the residents are able to gather the information and make an informed decision."
Fineview Citizens Council signed up with Nixle but hasn't used the services yet, said Director Ed Lewis.
"It's one thing I want to develop as we work on strengthening our public-safety efforts," Lewis said. "We do have an active block watch in the neighborhood, and I thought this is something I could add to the effort."
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