North Bay's Police Chief believes a new App the local police service is supposed to have in place will be a great communication tool especially when investigating incidents at local schools.
Scott Tod, North Bay's police chief, says Alertable software is an application that people can place on their smart device.
"This app will allow us to provide instant or quick information back out to the public about what is occurring," said Tod.
"Perhaps once we have the Alertable app out we will have more people responding to us with what is occurring in situations so we can provide rapid information back out to concerned people."
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He feels that would be a benefit in situations like a fake gun incident back in February at West Ferris Intermediate and Secondary School, along with an alleged threat received at Chippewa Secondary School.
He says the key thing is when information is released, it needs to be accurate.
"I cannot speak on the policies of the school board or whether they are asking students not to share any information but we know from many mass shooting situations or mass incidents in the States involving violence that people will provide information and a lot of it will be factual and they will share information," said Tod.
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"Us capturing that information is important. The more information I have as to what is occurring at a location that can be shared with our members makes a safer response by police."
Tod says this app, is expected to be unveiled in April.
"What Alertable provides us with is the ability to program up to 300 programmed messages that we can place into the system and we have an officer of a member of the service select which appropriate message goes out and what time," he said.
