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Crime & Safety

Thanks to 'Reverse 911,' Residents Help with Capture of Theft Suspects

Emergency alerts from the Sheriff's Office led to tips on the location of suspects, but left some residents confused about the emergency message.

As the coordinated a Oct. 10, police tracked the running suspects along the shore of Lake Michigan by boat with the aid of a thermal imager, as well as something more unusual — a reverse 911 system.

During the hunt, the Sheriff’s Office sent out a recorded telephone message alerting residents of the incident and asking them to call with any information they had. Many residents called with sightings that eventually helped police catch three of the four suspects, who had run about 10 miles south to both the city and town of Port Washington.

But Ozaukee County Sheriff Maury Straub said the system had some residents confused because they weren't aware of the service’s existence. The database draws from public listings, so it reaches residents who have not specifically signed up for the service.

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Straub advised that residents listen closely to the phone messages when they are delivered, as the information will come quickly and concisely. The messages are often targeted to specific neighborhoods or regions.

Because the database is generated from public listings, it is missing many phone numbers. Anyone with unlisted phone numbers can sign up for the service by visiting the MyStateUSA website.

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On the website, users can opt for notifications by text message, telephone, pager or email.

Users can also select which alerts they would like to receive. Local emergency alerts, and tornado watch and warning alerts are mandatory; but others are optional, including nuclear and radiological emergencies, and various weather alerts.

Straub urged residents to sign up for the service to help police spread word about emergency situations.

“The capability to disseminate critical information in a very rapid manner equates to safety for residents and businesses alike,” he said in a press release.

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