New Jersey police departments and municipalities are using social networking technology to keep residents in the loop. Many agencies are switching from reverse 911, which relies on landlines, to mobile- and text-based applications like Twitter to alert residents about emergencies, road closures, and community events. Some are using Nixle, a free application targeted to agencies; unlike Twitter, Nixle only distributes messages from authorized users. The challenge for agencies is not the technology, however, but getting residents to register for updates. In Chatham Township, for example, The Star-Ledger reports that only 200 residents out of a population of 10,000 have signed up for alerts. Link to full story in The Star-Ledger.
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