Triad Sheriff's Offices Launch New Apps to Streamline Communications

PIEDMONT TRIAD, North Carolina — New apps from the Forsyth County and Alamance County Sheriff's Offices help residents know what's happening in their communities and how they can help.

Over the past week, there have been four shootings in Forsyth County, and just this morning in Alamance County, a missing juvenile was reported. In the midst of these situations, the Triad Sheriff's Department has a new way to keep the community informed, and it all comes in the form of a free app.

“In the little time we had [the app] “Initiated and launched, it has already proven to be an invaluable tool for rapid communications,” said Byron Tucker, public information officer for the Alamance County Sheriff's Office.

Law enforcement agencies rely on social media to connect their services to the community. However, the use of social media has also had its downsides.

“A lot of people obviously rely on social media for a lot of different things, and it's a very simple tool to communicate with people, but not everyone has social media open at all times,” Daniel Crews, Forsyth County public relations officer. Sheriff's Office, said.

This is where an app like Sheriff's App can help.

“With a mobile app like the one we developed here, people don’t need to open it to get critical information,” Crews explained. “If there is a critical incident or emergency where we need to release information, we can send out a push release and it goes directly to that phone and that person is immediately alerted.

These apps not only allow departments to disseminate information, but also allow residents to ask questions.

“There's a button on there that absolutely says 'contact us,'” Tucker said. “And when they do, we understand it immediately. You can even select who you want the message to be sent to.”

And it's something that will benefit both citizens and law enforcement.

“Transparency has always been a priority of Sheriff Kimbrough,” Crews said. “And that’s going to continue through this app because we can move forward on the things we need to move forward, and it’s that open line of communication.”

The apps have several other features, including updated crime maps, inmate list searches, anonymous tip lines and even frequently asked questions.

All of these capabilities help people connect with the Sheriff's Office in more ways than ever.

“We have an opportunity for people to learn more about us in general, but also the specific divisions that we are involved in here,” Tucker said.

While the app can be used for many things, the departments stress that it is not a replacement for 911 and should not be used in an emergency.

Each of these applications is completely free to download. All you have to do is go to Google Play or App Store on your phone and search for the name of the relevant sheriff's office to download.