RCMP in Saskatchewan are moving forward with plans to have Amber Alerts transmitted on SaskAlert, the province’s emergency app for smartphones.
Spokesman Paul Dederick says there’s no timeline because extensive training is still required, but police expect to be able to issue Amber Alerts on the SaskAlert app this year.
The government says the SaskAlert app, which was launched in June 2016, is capable of issuing missing person information. However, administration of the Amber Alert program falls under the RCMP’s jurisdiction.
Saskatchewan RCMP said that they were in talks with the government to explore the implementation of Amber Alert notifications on the SaskAlert smartphone app.
The SaskAlert app is aimed at warning residents about emergencies such as wildfires, tornadoes, blizzards, hazardous material spills, boil-water advisories and evacuations. It sends a tone and notification directly to phone users, even when the SaskAlert app is closed.
