SAN ANTONIO — People living in the Alamo City have a new way to learn what’s happening in their neighborhood, directly from the San Antonio Police Department.
SAPD representatives said Tuesday that more than 70,000 residents have already signed up for a new text alert service. By opting in, folks can expect to receive information based on their ZIP code.
The initiative will include updates on crime trends, critical incidents and upcoming events.
SAPD said the notification system is part of the department’s ongoing effort to keep the community informed and engaged.
Residents will also be able to give SAPD feedback in mobile surveys.
City councilmembers voted to approve a new contract between SAPD and SPIDR Tech, a message platform tailored specifically for law enforcement, to provide the public safety notification system last year.
Certain subscribers can also receive an estimate of an officer’s arrival time, along with case number and case updates.
“Crime doesn’t happen all over San Antonio all at the same time. Crime happens in specific areas, and soon many of those become hot spots," said Beverly Watts, chief operating officer for WestCare. "And that’s what we really want, is to build the capacity of those areas to really kind of fight back to take back their neighborhoods and make them safe."
To sign up for the service, text SAPD to 39987. For customized alerts, the service will ask subscribers to respond with their ZIP code.