DE Dept. of Correction Launches Enhanced Community Notification System

DELAWARE – The Delaware Department of Corrections (DOC) announced on Wednesday that they have launched an enhanced community notification system to strengthen information-sharing with residents statewide.

The new community notification system is a free service that allows residents to sign up to receive facility emergency alerts and non-emergency informational messages from DOC by text, phone, and e-mail. The department will begin using the system to issue community notifications, as needed, starting Mar. 1.

“The DOC community notification system gives us another tool to push real-time notifications to Delawareans,” said Department of Correction Commissioner Terra Taylor.  “We are delivering on our commitment to local residents, and in particular to individuals who live and work near correctional facilities, to lean into technology and increase information-sharing with them.  This new notification system adds onto our existing communication channels to provide information needed to keep informed, stay alert, and stay safe.”

Community members can register to receive alerts from specific DOC facilities, or to receive general department-wide news and information. Facility alerts will be used to provide notices in the event of an unauthorized walkaway from a particular community corrections facility, impacts from adverse weather conditions to that facility’s scheduled on-site visitation, disruptions to phone or tablet communications, and other timely notices.

The department did note that an inmate escape from a state prison facility would trigger an enhanced multi-agency law enforcement response and expanded public outreach in addition to this community notification system and other existing DOC notification methods.

Sign up to receive text notifications by texting one of the following facility keywords to 302-279-2847. You can also register online, here.