Mobile County now runs the largest deployment of a public police-pursuit alert system in the country, a tool designed to warn drivers and pedestrians when a high-speed chase is moving through their area.
The system is called Digital Siren. With the push of a button inside a patrol vehicle, law enforcement can trigger a notification to anyone nearby who has downloaded the free app, telling them to clear the road. The alert also tells users when the pursuit has moved out of their range.
How Mobile County Scaled It Up
The Mobile County Communications District bought the technology in September 2020, and agencies across the county have adopted it since. The Mobile Police Department leads the nation in use, with 289 vehicles equipped and 165 of those activated and in service — more than any other law enforcement agency in the country, according to district officials.
“It’s kind of a no-brainer that we can alert the public of a high-speed pursuit that unfortunately kills so many people, innocent people,” said Charlie McNichol, director of the Mobile County Communications District.
Saving Lives, Officials Say
Tim Morgan, co-founder and CEO of Digital Siren, spent more than 35 years in law enforcement and said a single case — a young man killed in a chase — pushed him to build the warning tool. He cites national figures of more than 68,000 high-speed pursuits a year in the United States and roughly one death a day tied to them.
Since Mobile Police adopted the app, no bystanders have been injured or killed during a chase, Chief Paul Prine said. He credited the app along with the department’s pursuit policy and experienced officers, noting the balance between apprehending a suspect and protecting the public is “never taken lightly.”
Each vehicle costs about $100 to equip. Other participating agencies include the Mobile and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Offices and the Satsuma, Summerdale, Citronelle and Thomasville police departments.