PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Issued Date: 10-14-09
Effective Date: 10-14-09
DIRECTIVE 7.14
Updated Date:
SUBJECT:
RSAN PUBLIC ALERTS BY THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE
DEPARTMENT
______________________________________________________________________________
1.
BACKGROUND
A. The Office of Emergency Management under the Office of the Managing Director has
already implemented a public version of the Roam Secure Alert Network (RSAN)
system called Philadelphia ReadyNotifyPA. This is an Internet-based system that is
used to deliver alerts via cell phones, pagers, BlackBerry devices, voice or fax devices,
email accounts and other PDA systems. In the event of emergency, Philadelphia
ReadyNotifyPA can send messages to subscribers with important instructions and
updates as the situation unfolds.
B. The Police Department will utilize ReadyNotifyPA in partnership with the Office of
Emergency Management and have the capacity to send out an alert from any Internetenabled computer, and remotely from their BlackBerry.
C. It is the responsibility of all authorized Police Department personnel to follow the
protocols and procedures outlined in this Directive to ensure that information delivered
to the public is accurate and in accordance with other Department policies pertaining to
information appropriate for public dissemination (refer to Directive 4.16, “Media
Relations and the Release of Information to the Public). Authorized police personnel
may only send police alerts if the necessary approval processes have been followed.
This system shall be maintained in conjunction with the Office of Emergency
Management under the Office of the Managing Director.
______________________________________________________________________________
2.
INTRODUCTION
A. The Philadelphia Police Department and the Office of Emergency Management have
built a platform to launch a public version of the RSAN messaging system, making
crime alerts, informational alerts and traffic alerts available to all members of the public
who sign up for this free service.
B. District Captains and select units will have access to this system and have the capacity
to send out an alert from both their desktops and remotely from their BlackBerry.
C. The general public can access this system online via http://www.readynotifypa.org
and can register for any of the groups below (including multiple Police Districts).
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 1
1. Public users may register for three (3) different types of messages:
a. Police District Alerts
b. Police Citywide Alerts
c. Police Traffic Alerts
2. Alerts will be delivered to the public with one or both of the following types of
communications:
a. SMS Messages: Short Message Service, more commonly known as “text
messaging.” SMS messages are limited in length to approximately 100
characters, which includes spaces.
b. Email Messages: All emails will be sent from the originating public RSAN
email address. No personal or work-related email accounts will be displayed
when a police email alert is distributed.
______________________________________________________________________________
3.
AUTHORIZED POLICE PERSONNEL:
A. Police alerts may be generated from the following districts/units by authorized and
trained personnel:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Police Districts
Divisional Detectives
Divisional Inspectors
Homicide Unit
Special Victims Unit
Criminal Intelligence Unit
Major Crimes Unit
Homeland Security Unit
Traffic District
Police Radio
Command Inspections Bureau (CIB)
Public Affairs Unit
Police Headquarters’ Administration
B. Within each of the above districts/units, the Commanding Officer and two to four other
personnel per district/unit have been selected to be trained and authorized on the RSAN
messaging system. Each police personnel user will be registered and given online
access to the RSAN messaging system. All users must have access to the Internet and a
valid email address to login to this system. Additionally, those personnel with a
Department-issued BlackBerry will be able to generate an alert remotely.
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 2
C. All authorized personnel must complete the training required by RSAN and the
Department in order to send notifications on this system.
D. Commanding Officers of the above listed districts/units shall notify the Investigative
Coordinator, Field Operations by memorandum of any changes in the status of
personnel in their chain of command, as well as any changes in their own status,
regarding approval to use and send RSAN messages pursuant to this specific initiative.
1. Commanding Officers may request that additional personnel be trained and
approved to use the RSAN messaging system by memorandum to the Investigative
Coordinator, Field Operations, Police Headquarters, Room 306 with the name,
email address and payroll number of the employee.
2. Commanding Officers may also request that access to the RSAN messaging system
for previously approved personnel be removed by memorandum to the
Investigative Coordinator, Field Operations, Police Headquarters, Room 306, with
the name, email address and payroll number of the employee.
______________________________________________________________________________
4.
TYPES OF POLICE ALERTS
A. There are three (3) different types of alerts for which users may register online at:
http://www.ReadyNotifyPA.org for:
1. Police District Alerts:
Alerts contain crime or general information relevant to the police district in which a
user registers. Users may register to receive messages from multiple Police
Districts.
2. Police Citywide Alerts:
Alerts contain crime or general information relevant to all Police Districts within
Philadelphia. Users must register to receive citywide alerts. Users who only
register to receive District Alerts will NOT receive any citywide alerts.
3. Police Traffic Alerts:
Alerts contain traffic notifications regarding major road closures as a result of
accidents, emergency weather conditions, or other events necessitating a closure or
detour.
______________________________________________________________________________
5.
CONTENT FOR POLICE DISTRICT AND POLICE CITYWIDE ALERTS
A. The following criteria must be met in order to generate a Police District Alert or a
Police Citywide Alert:
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 3
1. Actionable Messages:
All alerts falling in this category are either cautionary (e.g. warning the public
about a dangerous felon or an emerging pattern of crime) OR require the assistance
of the public in identifying a potential suspect, wanted person or missing person.
The following types of incidents could warrant an actionable message.
a. Violent crimes committed where specific suspect information is available, and
the suspect poses a threat to the public at large, or wanted persons are known in
relation to the incident.
b. Reports of missing persons and tender age children that fall into the below
criteria, as consistent with Directive 12.13 , Section 2 and Appendix A.
Divisional Detectives must substantiate that the disappearance was not
voluntary, and that the victim’s physical safety is in danger before approving
any alert distributed to the public regarding a Missing Person.
1.)
2.)
3.)
4.)
Disabled Person
Endangered Person
Elderly Person
Tender Age Children
c. All Amber Alerts generated by investigative units that are sent to the State
Police for county-wide and state-wide distribution shall also be sent in a
citywide RSAN message, once approval by the State Police has been granted.
d. Emerging patterns of crime that urge the public to take preventive and
cautionary measures (e.g. a series of burglaries, property crimes or auto thefts
in a specified area).
e. Messages in which surveillance video or pictures of known or wanted persons
are ready to be viewed by the public in order to solicit their assistance in
locating or identifying a suspect. The alert should direct users to the Police
Department’s website or other website in which images are uploaded.
2. Actionable messages shall specifically indicate on the alert that the public is to call
9-1-1 if it relates to an emergency situation, as well as detail the contact information of
the unit requesting information (e.g. contact Southwest Detectives at (215) xxx-xxxx
with information).
3. Messages will generate a reference number or “AlertID” number automatically, which
will be included in the body of the message to which the public can refer when calling
in with further information.
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 4
4. If relevant information becomes available after an actionable message has been sent,
such as the apprehension of a suspect, another message shall be sent with the previous
AlertID number attached with follow-up information indicating that the issue has been
resolved.
5. Informational Messages:
Alerts falling into this category provide the public with information relevant to the
Department and the communities, as well as formal community groups, who partner
with the Department in various initiatives. Examples include the following:
a. Messages about upcoming local community meetings, such as Police District
Advisory Committees (PDACs), Town Watch, National Night Out, PAL or
prevention and training workshops open to the public, and other meetings held by
District Commanding Officers in which community participation is desired.
b. Safety tips and crime prevention messages, particularly in response to an emerging
crime pattern where public education is necessary (e.g. Prevent Theft from Vehicle:
Don’t park on dimly lit streets; remove all valuables from car, including portable
GPS).
c. Messages about events affecting citywide business (e.g. Phillies Championship
parade) or in which citywide participation with the Police Department is desired
(e.g. Town Hall meetings with the Commissioner).
______________________________________________________________________________
6.
CONTENT FOR POLICE TRAFFIC ALERTS:
A. Messages warranting a police traffic alert must cause a significant disruption of traffic
or transit in a densely populated area or commonly-used thoroughfare.
B. Authorized personnel sending Police Traffic Alerts will receive a list of the roadways
for which the Department assumes responsibility.
______________________________________________________________________________
7.
PROCEDURES FOR SENDING POLICE DISTRICT AND POLICE CITYWIDE
ALERTS:
A. Actionable Messages for Police District Alerts:
1. All messages meeting the criteria for an actionable message enumerated in the
“Section 4” must receive the joint approval of the District Commanding
Officer and EITHER the Divisional Detective Captain OR the Commanding
Officer of the specialized unit, depending on the type of crime.
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 5
a. Trained personnel from the District in which the request originated shall be
responsible for sending ‘actionable messages’ to registered users, once joint
approval has been received from the commands listed above.
b. All potential disputes regarding actionable messages and their content shall be
resolved by the Divisional Inspector.
c. Divisional Detective Captains will have access to sending alerts in every district
comprising the division for which they are responsible.
2. Alerts that are generated between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM shall be
approved and sent by the Commanding Officer of the Command Inspections
Bureau (CIB) or designee.
3. Before an actionable public RSAN alert is sent using this system, Commanding
Officers shall forward all white papers/background information regarding incidents
referred to in the RSAN alert to the Office of Public Affairs at
[REDACTED] fax: (215) xxx-xxxx. In the event that there is a
follow-up from the public or news media regarding the specific details about an
alert, staff in Public Affairs will be able to address all questions coming from the
media, and if necessary refer them to the appropriate district/unit from where the
message originated.
B. Actionable Messages for Police Citywide Alerts:
1. Divisional Inspectors and select other units have access to sending actionable
messages through Police Citywide Alerts.
2. For other units without citywide access, the Commanding Officer of that
district/unit may request that a Police Citywide Alert be generated through the
appropriate Divisional Inspector within their chain of command.
3. For incidents specifically where there is a wanted person, and his/her picture is
available, the authorized unit shall forward this information to the Office of Public
Affairs, which will be responsible for distributing an alert directing the public to
the Department Website, or other website to which the image is uploaded.
4. Alerts that are generated between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM shall be
approved and sent by the Commanding Officer of the Command Inspections
Bureau (CIB) or designee.
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 6
5. Before an actionable public RSAN alert is sent using this system, Commanding
Officers shall forward all white papers/background information regarding incidents
referred to in the RSAN alert to the Office of Public Affairs at:
[REDACTED] or fax (215) xxx-xxxx. In the event that there is a
follow-up from the public or news media regarding the specific details about an
alert, staff in Public Affairs will be able to address all questions coming from the
news media, and if necessary refer them to the appropriate district/unit from where
the message originated.
C. Informational Messages for Police District Alerts:
1. All messages meeting the criteria for an informational message must be approved
by the District’s Commanding Officer or designee, and sent by authorized
personnel within the district.
2. No informational messages will be sent between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
D. Informational Messages for Police Citywide Alerts:
1. Divisional Inspectors and select other units have access to sending actionable
messages through Police Citywide Alerts.
2. For other units without citywide access, the Commanding Officer may request that
a Police Citywide Alert be generated through the appropriate Divisional Inspector
within their chain of command.
3. No informational messages will be sent between 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM.
______________________________________________________________________________
8.
PROCEDURES FOR SENDING TRAFFIC ALERTS:
A. All messages meeting the criteria for a traffic alert shall be approved by the
Commanding Officer of the Traffic District, and sent by authorized personnel within
Traffic.
B. Alerts that are generated between the hours of 10:00 PM and 6:00 AM shall be
approved and sent by either the Commanding Officer of the Command Inspections
Bureau (CIB) or designee, or the Traffic District, via Police Radio.
______________________________________________________________________________
RELATED PROCEDURES
Directive 4.16, Media Relations and the Release of
Information to the Public
Directive 12.13, Missing Persons
______________________________________________________________________________
BY COMMAND OF THE POLICE COMMISSIONER
______________________________________________________________________________
DIRECTIVE 7.14 - 7