By By SPIROS GALLOS / Niles Daily Star
NILES - The Michigan State Police Niles Post now has a new tool to use to communicate with citizens in its jurisdiction.
The post now has a web site that is specific to the Niles area so state police can keep local citizens informed of upcoming activities, crime prevention tips, and even ask for help.
When visitors first log on to the web site, they can click on a link to view a map of the post's jurisdiction area, which includes parts of Berrien and Cass counties.
Trooper Robert Herbstreith, who will be in charge of the web site content, thinks the site will be more personal to citizens than the MSP web site, which covers the entire state of Michigan.
The web site has five sections devoted to crime, traffic, community, homeland security, and "what's new" and will be constantly updated as time goes by.
The crime section has information on crime trends, like identity theft, prevention tips, and will have local crimes highlighted, asking for community assistance, added soon.
A Niles "most-wanted" sections was suggested to Herbstreith by some officers and the idea has a good chance of becoming a reality, he said.
The traffic section has news that state police are cracking down on speeding in construction areas.
In the future, the section will feature phone numbers to call for road closings and weather conditions, as well as updates on traffic enforcement projects and statistics, Herbstreith said.
Herbstreith said information on highway safety and tips would be up on the site in the next couple of days in response to the string of fatal crashes that have occurred in the area.
Information on community events, like schedules of upcoming car seat checks, will be posted in the community section of the web site.
The homeland security section lets people know that the state police will be offering presentations on homeland security to educate students in grades K-12 this school year.
The "what's new" section will feature new information about the area and post activities. The announcement of the new post commander, Lt. Michael Brown, tops the section right now.
In the future the site will have links to other local law enforcement agencies, making it easier for people to find the information they need.
When school starts, the web site will be updated with school bus safety tips and other information to help keep kids safe.
The Niles Post web address is www.michigan.gov/msp-niles, anyone with questions can contact Herbstreith at (269) 683-4411.