City of Waterloo issued the following announcement on Aug. 27.
The Waterloo Police Department/City of Waterloo are partnering with Atlas One, a location-based safety network, to increase residents’ safety and keep them informed. Residents are encouraged to download the free mobile application Atlas One to receive real time alerts based on geographic locations which are important to them and those they care about. Residents can download Atlas One on their iOS or Android smartphone devices starting today. Waterloo is the 1st City in Iowa to partner with Atlas One.
The app allows city officials to send geo-fenced push notification alerts when a public safety issue occurs. The alert will be sent to users in the described area or to those who have designated the area as a ‘favorite place’. Alerts can include text, photos, videos, documents, and even voice recordings. In addition, residents will have one-stop-shop access to existing Police Department services and resources, such as the website, social media, online reporting and contact information. Users can also explore nearby incidents, events, places, and interactive guides.
For example, a user could set the favorite place for their residence, business, child’s school, or an elderly parent’s residence then receive notifications related to that geographical area. Users also receive notifications if they enter an area with an active alert.
Atlas One was selected because of its ability to expand residents’ access to real-time information, while still respecting user privacy.
“Residents can be comfortable sharing their location with Atlas One knowing their data is safe,” said Dr. Joel Fitzgerald, Waterloo Police Chief. “Location access simply allows us to notify you if an emergency is occurring nearby. Atlas One never track historical location or share your personal data with any third parties, not even to the City of Waterloo/Police Department.” Users can still be notified if alerts occur nearby favorite places, even if they choose not to share their location.
How it Works
- Download the free iOS or Android Atlas One App
- Tap “GET STARTED” to create your Atlas One profile
- Share your location or add favorite places that you want to track
- If an alert occurs nearby your current location, or places you track, the app will send a push notification alert
- Waterloo Police will also have the ability to publish incidents, events, places, and guides, and include interactive information such as directories, maps, news updates, links, and FAQ’s.
Original source can be found here.
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