Police can now send out emergency alerts on their own.
The change was made after a review of the system in the aftermath of the Portapique mass murder last April.
Direct access gives police the ability to issue an alert without assistance from the Emergency Management Office. RCMP and HRP have been trained to use the system and can send an alert for police-related situations where there is believed to be an imminent threat to the public.
The alerts are sent out when situations arise that put the safety of the public in jeopardy. They contain critical information and are sent directly to cell phones, radio and TV’s.
“Protecting the public is serious and difficult work, and we know that in certain situations alerts are one of the tools that can help to do that,” said Brendan Maguire, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister responsible for the Emergency Management Office (EMO). “The alert system is something we have every confidence in, whether alerts are issued by police or EMO.”
The Nova Scotia RCMP and Halifax Regional Police (HRP) now have direct access to the Alert Ready System. The option is available to other policing services across the province when and if they choose.
“Police across Nova Scotia are pleased to have the ability to seamlessly alert the public to major events occurring in their community and that, very importantly to all Nova Scotians, we have established consistent criteria to issue an Alert.” Chief Julia Cecchetto, president, Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association.
Alerts have been issued for 12 events in Nova Scotia in the past year (April 2020 to July 2021), nine of which have been police-related events.
EMO will continue to issue police-related alerts at the request of all policing agencies in Nova Scotia, and for non-police matters such as floods and forest fires.
