How Savvy Citizen Empowered Caernarvon Township During a Crisis: A Success Story
Government
Introduction
Caernarvon Township Police Chief Paul Stolz was off-duty at home on a Saturday, enjoying a televised baseball game when his phone rang. Two inmates from the local youth detention facility (less than a half mile away from residential homes in Caernarvon Township) had escaped and were at large. One of the escapees had a record that included auto theft and assault. Immediately, Chief Stolz sent a notification to residents using Savvy Citizen to make them aware of the situation.“Within 17 minutes of the first call, I coordinated with my on-duty officers and notified residents of the incident using Savvy Citizen, directly from my smartphone, all after 9pm and at home.”
Over the next several days, the situation was ongoing. The Chief used Savvy Citizen daily to keep residents up-to- date with the latest information as he received it from participating agencies.“Savvy Citizen is excellent and very easy to use”, comments Stolz. “I am able to send a notification to our residents from anywhere, in two minutes or less.”
The Challenge
Immediate Threat to Public Safety: Two inmates, one with a history of auto theft and assault, escaped from a nearby youth detention facility, posing a significant danger to the community.
Need for Rapid Response: Chief Stolz had to quickly coordinate a response with his on-duty officers and notify residents of the situation immediately.
Ongoing Communication: As the situation extended over several days, continuous and accurate updates were necessary to keep the community informed and reassured, requiring a reliable and efficient communication tool.
What Did MSA Do
While Caernarvon Township utilizes Savvy Citizen as its main communication tool, residents who received these notifications were sharing them with friends and family via text messages and on social media. The end result was almost a doubling of resident signups overnight. Once residents realized the important information that Caernarvon Township sent via Savvy Citizen, they wanted to sign up and receive the information directly.
Ultimately, after five days, both inmates were back in custody. During this period, no Caernarvon residents were injured or had property damaged, although a neighboring community had a vehicle stolen that was left unlocked. At the next township meeting, Chief Stolz recapped the situation to the supervisors and residents in attendance. He noted his department’s involvement and their use of Savvy Citizen.“Residents came to the meeting and thanked us for communicating with them and for using Savvy Citizen,” says Stolz.“In addition to our residences and businesses, we are home to two daycares, so safety is extremely important to us.”
The Results
Although in this case Caernarvon Township utilized Savvy Citizen as an emergency alert system, the service has consistently covered all their communication needs. Since joining the service, they have continuously communicated road closures, community events, public works projects, and even free baseball tickets to residents. “Savvy Citizen has been a success for us. Unlike social media, we control the narrative and can get it out in a timely manner,” says Stolz. “I am happy to share our success story with any community considering Savvy Citizen as their resident communication tool.”
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