Nixle is a new community information service provider built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. Its authenticated service 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 e-mails, and through Web access. Nixle is offered at no cost to all governments, their agencies and organizations, nongovernmental organizations and consumers.

Investigator Bryan Clanton said this will greatly enhance the GPD’s communication capabilities with the public, especially when it comes to the speed of disseminating information. “We will use this for general public service announcements, immediate alerts concerning detriments to the safety of the public, or any other items of interest that we want to bring to the public’s attention,” said Clanton. “Residents can sign up for email messages or text messages to their cell phones. It will especially be useful to school officials if we have an active situation in the vicinity of a school.”

For now, Griffin area residents will be able to receive police-related information via Nixle. Channels providing other kinds of information are expected to be introduced in the future.

Craig Mitnick, the founder and CEO of Nixle, said Nixle differs from current services such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, which provide unauthenticated platforms for connections. Nixle solves that problem by providing a single standardized service for consumers to receive immediate and credible neighborhood-level public safety and community information.

“Nixle is a first-of-its-kind tool for communities that need to provide critical information to their residents,” said Craig Mitnick, founder and CEO.  “When it comes to public safety information, you have to trust the source. Residents of Griffin can rest easy that the local messages they receive are authentic.”

Those who are interested in receiving messages from the Griffin Police Department can sign up at www.nixle.com to register.

Nixle is a community information service provider built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. It 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 e-mails 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. Privately funded Nixle, which has offices in New Jersey and California, is available at no cost to all governments, their agencies and organizations, nongovernmental organizations and consumers. For more information, visit www.nixle.com.