By Nikki Ackerman
Staff Writer

The Germantown Police Department is partnering with the Express News to provide area residents with essential information and updates to make their lives easier and safer.
This pilot program between the police department and a division of the newspaper company known as Text it Advertising will allow individuals who live and work in the village to receive texts on their cell phones notifying them of happenings and incidents that may affect their daily routines.
Those interested in receiving the alerts should text the word “awareness” to 90583. The texter’s cell phone number will then go into a secure database (users should note that cell phone numbers will not be shared with or sold to anyone) and the individual will receive alerts–about weather conditions, traffic situations and crime trends, to name a few examples–as needed.
“We are excited to see if we can reach more people faster when there is a potential emergency or crime alert,” said Germantown Police Chief Peter Hoell.
He said such an option would have been helpful during the Feb. 1-2 snowstorm or the week prior to that when there was a rash of vehicle break-ins at restaurants on County Line Road and Highway 41.
“This will be a good way for us to keep people posted about what’s going on in Germantown,” he said.
Hoell said that users can expect about one text per week. “We will certainly be respectful,” he said. “We will not bother people with useless information.”
The texting program will also provide a way for the police department to keep up with technology, the chief added. He stated that up to this point the quickest and most efficient way to get breaking news to village residents has been through electronic alerts–which is a limited avenue.
“We send information to places that have large e-mail batches, such as the Chamber of Commerce, and they try to blast out the information, but to get it you have to be on your computer,” he said, “whereas nearly everyone has a cell phone and the phone is usually on the person.”
Hoell encourages the public to take advantage of the program and to feel free to share any feedback with the police department.
Express News President Ken Ubert said he is pleased with this partnership and hopes it will serve a positive purpose in the daily lives of those who use it.
“We are very much looking forward to working with the police department to help provide essential updates and alerts to the community,” Ubert said. “We feel this will be a great benefit to many people.”
Signing up is done by sending the “awareness” text or through either the police department or Express News web site. People are asked not to call the police department as the department will not be registering individuals for the program.
Any other non-profit organizations interested in participating in a text alert program should contact Ubert at (262) 512-5011 or via e-mail at ubertk@discoverhometown.com.