The Coeur d'Alene Police Department has launched a new Community Information Service designed to deliver important and timely information to residents using the latest technology.

This service, created by Nixle, LLC, delivers trustworthy and important neighborhood-level public safety and community event notifications by web, email and cell phone. Nixle is available at no cost.

Wayne Longo, the department's chief, has a reputation for embracing new technologies such as Nixle. The CDAPD was the first police department regionally to set up a Facebook account enabling it to interact with citizens and to solve crimes. Sgt. Bill Tilson, in partnership with the city's IT Department, continually supports new communication efforts by identifying useful technological services and implementing them on behalf of the police department.

Nixle offers flexible, fast, and secure community information distribution. Nixle subscribers will receive alerts to public safety threats and community events via web, email, and cell phone. Simply sign up at www.nixle.com to register.

"I am grateful to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department for implementing the Nixle system," said Stacy Hudson, Public Information Coordinator, North Idaho College. "North Idaho College shared registration information campus-wide as well, so our students and employees could benefit from receiving alerts to supplement the college's NICAlerts system."

Hudson registered both her home address as well as the address of the college so she could help share major notifications with the NIC community.

"In a fast-paced world, it's crucial to utilize technology like this to reach individuals who are on the move with messages of vital importance to our community's safety," Hudson said.

Once you register at www.nixle.com, feel free to share this new service with friends and neighbors. Nixle is the first authenticated and secure service that connects municipal agencies and community organizations to residents in real time, delivering information to geographically-targeted consumers over their cell phones (via text messages), through emails, and via web access. Nixle has secured a partnership with Nlets (the International Justice and Public Safety Network), allowing local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories.

Sgt. Christie Wood is the Public Information Officer for the Coeur d'Alene Police Department.