Police Place Reverse 911 Call In Effort To Find Missing Girl

FALMOUTH- Falmouth Police Department opted to use a new reverse 911 system again this past weekend when a 15-year-old who lives at an adolescent care facility went missing. A total of 1,500 people in Falmouth received the call. The child was found a short time later and people received a second call to let them know the child was safe.
The girl, a member of Cape START (Short Term Adolescent Residential Treatment) on Gifford Street, was reportedly sledding at the Cape Cod Country Club, when she ran away shortly after 5 PM.
Police said a Coast Guard helicopter was deployed to help locate the girl.
According to police, the girl was located and brought to the police station a short time later by friends. 
Falmouth Police Captain William J. McManamin said all the sergeants in the department have been authorized to make the call to use the system, which is owned by the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Department.
The system was first tested out the week before the Falmouth Christmas Parade when calls went out to 18,008 Falmouth households alerting them to the parade and the fact that streets would be closed in downtown Falmouth.
After the alert, Falmouth Police Chief Anthony J. Riello said the department received 30 to 40 phone calls from people who received only a partial message or people who were concerned about the necessity of the calls.
The chief explained to Falmouth selectmen that the sheriff’s department had been able to purchase a very expensive system through a grant and had offered to use the system to help any local Cape Cod police departments.
Sheriff James A. Cummings said the Rapid Alert System was purchased for $600,000 through a Department of Homeland Security grant. He said his department will cover the additional $50,000 per year needed to maintain the system.
Sheriff Cummings said of people’s concerns about receiving calls, “The inconvenience is certainly worth it” if someone’s life is in danger. He also added, “It’s free to the town.”
Captain McManamin said the parade alert was the perfect way to test the system, since it was not a true emergency. In this past weekend’s incident where a child was missing, he said, “the more eyes looking, the better.”
In response to some who have complained that they would rather not get the calls, Captain McManamin said, “I think every member of our community has the responsibility to look if they see something suspicious.”
He said he did not anticipate that the system would be used too frequently.
“Each issue will be weighed depending on the time of year, the weather, a lot of things will be weighed in each incident,” he said.
People who would like their number removed from the Rapid Alert System can call the sheriff’s department at 508-563-4479.