Citizen Participation Encouraged in Public Safety Initiatives

[Howard Hartman]

Gaithersburg Police Department       FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  •  March 2, 2012

Mark P. Stroka Chief of Police

Citizen Participation Encouraged
in Public Safety Initiatives

Gaithersburg, MD (March 2, 2012). Two-way communication between the Gaithersburg Police Department and the public is critical to the success of public safety initiatives in our community. Citizens sometimes fail to call the police because they feel the information is not relevant, or seems trivial. However, this type of information is important to help identify trends, and can sometimes lead to solving a crime. Every set of eyes on the street is valuable.

The Gaithersburg Police Department encourages the public to call 9-1-1 in emergency situations, or to report non-emergency activities and information to 301-279-8000.

Equally as important is the dissemination of information to the public. Through press releases, online crime report summaries and emergency messaging, the Gaithersburg Police Department ensures that the community is made aware of public safety issues on a timely basis.

Alert Gaithersburg is a notification system that sends emergency messages to multiple devices when verified information needs to be disseminated immediately. It includes weather and traffic notifications, as well information about incidents that impact large areas of the population. Examples include major road and intersection closures, hazardous material incidents, evacuations, police activity impacting the delivery of municipal services or where surrounding citizens may be at risk, and extreme weather situations such as snow emergencies, flood and tornado watches.

Subscription to Alert Gaithersburg is free, however text messaging fees might apply depending on the user’s mobile device plan. To register for Alert Gaithersburg visit http://alert.gaithersburgmd.gov.

The Gaithersburg Police Department also offers the following online services:

Citizen Information in Traffic Enforcement (C.I.T.E.)

Citizens may report violations of the traffic laws of the State of Maryland occurring in the City directly to the Gaithersburg Police Department by filling out and submitting the information online. www.gaithersburgmd.gov/apps/cite/

Community Crime Summary

Serious crimes and crime trends occurring in the City of Gaithersburg are listed on the Police page of the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/police.

Crime Reports.com

This website keeps you informed about crime in your neighborhood. Visit www.crimereports.com

The Montgomery County Police Department offers Citizen Online Reporting at http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/po...ic/cologic.asp