Buchanan County Sheriff’s department testing new public safety app

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- The Buchanan County Sheriff's Department is testing a new mobile application designed to keep the public informed and alert. 

The initial $10,000 in funding to launch the Sheriff App comes from Buchanan County's opioid settlement funds. A vital component of the app will be providing information related to the local opioid epidemic, as well as alerts about scams and criminal activity.

"It'll give us a platform to do opioid education as well as push out messages and safety tips," said Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. "It'll also be a broader platform where we'll be able to notify the public on information pertaining to jail records."

One key feature county jail officials hope the community finds valuable is the ability to search for inmates. 

"I know that some victims are looking to see if the perpetrator of their crime is still incarcerated or whether they've been released," Puett said. "There are going to be several aspects on this application we hope will be helpful for our citizens and ensure their safety."

The Sheriff's Office is aiming to launch the application in the next couple of months, although the timeline depends on completing testing, securing licensing, and ensuring the app runs smoothly to avoid frustrating users.

"We don't want there to be any errors with this so it can be something that continues indefinitely," Puett said. "This application will include vital educational pieces on issues I know the community is concerned about, such as online predators and elder abuse scams. We'll have all that available in one plac,e people can access right from their hands."

Educational content covering a range of local concerns will be posted to the free app monthly. 

News-Press NOW will continue to follow and report on the development of the application as it moves forward.