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Calcasieu Parish Police Jury's Enables Community Alert System

Department's office of homeland security improves emergency preparedness public warning system.

LAKE CHARLES, La. -- The Calcasieu Parish, La., Police Jury has selected INlogicNOW to enable its Community Alert System with intelligent notification capabilities. The Police Jury, which serves as the governing authority of the parish, has developed the Community Alert System to notify the public and local media of events that threaten community safety. The system will be managed by the Police Jury's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, with the ability to extend alerts via phone to each of the more than 180,000 residents of Calcasieu Parish.

Calcasieu Parish is governed by an elected body known as the Police Jury. The parish is located in Southwest Louisiana and has a population of 183,577.

With a population of more than 180,000, the Southwest Louisiana community of Calcasieu Parish is also home to more than 50 chemical manufacturing facilities. Acknowledging the potential threat that these facilities represent in the event of a natural or man-made disaster, the MIR3-powered Community Alert System can deliver geo-coded reverse 911 alerts to community members surrounding chemical facilities. These alerts would specify a recommended call to action, such as "Shelter in Place," and provide updated information and emergency support. The system will also be used in the event of weather warnings, interstate and transportation alerts, and public warnings issued by local law enforcement.

In early January, the Police Jury utilized the service to notify approximately 500 Calcasieu residents of four armed and dangerous robbery suspects that were on foot in their neighborhood. The jury received eight tips from residents as a result of the phone-based alerts, which ultimately led to the capture of three of the four suspects.
Miriam Jones is a former chief copy editor of Government Technology, Governing, Public CIO and Emergency Management magazines.