WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. - President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez ordered the creation of an Alert System Task Force on Monday to help notify the Navajo Nation people of abductions and other emergencies, according to a release.
“We need to come up with something formal. We need to identify areas of technology, specifically cell phone technology, that we can use to implement an alert system on the Navajo Nation,” Jesse Delmar, Director of Division Public Safety, said in a release. “It needs to be done immediately.”
Delmar will head the task force along with Director of Telecommunication Theresa Hopkins.
One of the goals for the alert system is to reach all areas of the Navajo Nation -- even the ones that might not have cell service.
According to the release, tests have been done to assess resources needed to develop an alert system based on 911 and Amber Alerts. The text messaging alert system was successful, but there still needs to be testing on a larger scale.
“It’s time for us to put our foot down and get all the respective agencies on the same page to implement an alert system that will effectively notify the Navajo people of any abductions or other crises that affect their communities,” said President Russell Begaye in the release.
The Alert System Task Force will aim to have the system in place within 60 days.