BRANCH COUNTY, MI (WTVB) – Starting on Wednesday, some residents in Branch, Calhoun, St. Joseph and Eaton Counties will receive text message updates from the Michigan State Police when they make an emergency call to a dispatch center from a mobile device.
This pilot program, which will initially be evaluated after 90 days, involves the State Police posts in Marshall and Lansing making the State Police the first state-level police agency in the country to test out this technology.
Under the program, if you call 911 from a mobile device to request a police response and a trooper is dispatched, you will receive a text message notifying you that a trooper is enroute.
Not all call types will receive this messaging, including sensitive safety matters. If the trooper becomes delayed due to other priority calls or circumstances, you will receive real-time updated text notifications.
When the incident is concluded, you will get a text message within 24 hours, inviting you to take a short satisfaction survey.
The survey will give State Police an idea what needs to be improved and what they did correctly. These surveys should not be used to report any type of emergency or crime or to make a formal complaint with the department.
As always, call 911 for any emergency or to report criminal activity.
Following the pilot period, consideration will be given on whether to purchase and deploy this technology at all State Police posts.
Comments