In an innovative move to keep Middletown residents up-to-date on breaking news, the Middletown Police Department (MPD) will be using Nixle to send security alerts and updates via text message to subscribers’ cell phones.

Nixle is a step above the department’s prior methods of notifying residents of MPD information, which involved sending emails or posting updates to their website.

“They put out advisories when arrests are made, traffic notifications, Route 66 advisories,” said Director of Public Safety Dave Meyer. “They cover more outside of Wesleyan in the surrounding areas that [Public Safety] wouldn’t have the ability to do.”

While Nixle’s ability to send out alerts via text message and e-mail sounds similar to popular social networking websites, Research Manger for the MPD Ann Gregg says the purpose is different.

“It’s not a social networking site like Twitter or Facebook,” Gregg said. “It’s just [a way] to get any kind of information out to the public, whether it’s just event information or, God forbid, an emergency.”

There are a few distinctions between Facebook and Nixle including the size and number of the messages sent.

“The text messages are limited to 117 characters, so you would have to summarize what you need to say, but it’s worked so far,” Gregg said. “And you can obviously send multiple messages.”

Another difference lies in the one-way flow of information—the public will not be able to respond to the text messages like Twitter or Facebook users can.

“You don’t friend anyone, and the public doesn’t comment,” Gregg said.

Anonymous tips can be sent to the MPD via their website or text message, but Nixle does not offer an anonymous tip service. All these services offered by the MPD are free to the public.

“We’ve updated our website with information about [Nixle],” Gregg said. “It’s targeting the general public, not just students. It’s also good for parents of Wesleyan students.”

The service is free to subscribe to and free to use. To subscribe or find out more, visit www.cityofmiddletownpolice.com/nixle.html.