Nixle
Nixle is a community information service provider and built exclusively to provide secure and reliable communications. It is the first authenticated and secure service that connects municipal agencies and community organizations to resident 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 partnership with NLETS (the International Justice and Public Safety Network), allowing local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories. Privately funded Nixle is free to all governments and consumers.
Nixle was founded in 2007 by Craig Mitnick and Firas Emachah.
Nationwide Acceptance
As of March 24, 2009, agencies in eight states are testing the new communication platform. In California alone, more than 20 municipalities have gained secure access to the service for testing, including Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Napa, San Diego, Sonoma, National City, Escondidoand Walnut Creek. The service is currently live in Chula Vista, California, where the service was successfully launched. The Scottsdale, Arizona Police Department, along with numerous other cities throughout of similar size, plans to launch the platform in the very near future.
"Thanks to Nixle, our residents know what's happening in their city--from local emergencies and traffic advisories to upcoming cultural events and public workshops. And they get their information instantly," said Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox1. "Thousands of Chula Vistans are getting secure, reliable messages directly from our departments. Wherever I go, I run into satisfied Nixle subscribers. Residents are pleased their city is communicating with them."
Nixle is one of four select sponsors of the 2009 Police Executive Research Forum's (PERF) annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The conference was held on March 26th and 27th 2009, hosting the nation's top 200 law enforcement executives from the largest cities in the country.
Security
Nixle's servers are all located at NLETS, providing added security from would-be-hackers. This enables local police departments nationwide to send immediate alerts and advisories using their secure police terminals.
In response to the hacking of President Barack Obama's social networking account2, Craig Mitnick had this to say:
"Current Social networking services are not built on authenticated and secure foundations, which translates to a bombshell waiting to explode when it comes to public safety information. When it comes to public safety information, you have to trust the source. With Nixle, you will."
Geographic Targeting
Nixle's technology platform CREATES a database of community information that builds upon itself. As municipal and community oriented groups push out their location-specific information directly to communities, the system also archives. This creates the foundation for databases of truly local news and information to virally develop for an infinite number of locales and communities, redefining the way news and information is disseminated and accessed.
Information is disseminated to any point or address in a desired geographic area. This technology is also available to consumers, so the most relevant information reaches the targeted individuals.
Partnerships
Nixle is partnered with:
NLETS
VeriSign Messaging and Mobile Media
United States Conference of Mayors
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
The International Fire and Emergency Responder Network (IFERNET)
National Sheriffs' Association (NSA)
The Council of State Governments (CSG)
National Emergency Management Association (NEMA)
Integrated Justice Information Systems Institute (IJIS).