LANSING (WKZO-AM) — It’s hard to imagine anything positive coming from the horrific mass-shooting that took place in Kalamazoo last February when police say that Uber driver Jason Dalton began shooting strangers in between providing rides to customers.
As a result of those crimes, a system has now been put in place to use old and new media to alert the population when there is an active threat in the community.
It was the result of a concern expressed by law enforcement and community officials following the murders that there was no way to notify residents who were out and about that night, that an active shooter was at large in the area and shooting people.
The bills sponsored by Reps. Brandt Iden, R-Oshtemo, Jon Hoadley, D-Kalamazoo, and David Maturen, R-Brady Township, sped through the legislature and the Michigan State Police have just activated the system.
Iden cites the example of a man terrorizing and stabbing shoppers at a Minnesota Mall last week as the type of event that might trigger an alert.
“We want to make sure people are protected, we want to make sure people have the information they need to protect their loved ones and themselves,” Iden said.
Whether it’s an active shooter or some other natural or manmade threat, the state police will be able to activate the system and alerts will be sent out through radio, TV, cell phones, highway signs and other communications media.
