Lauderdale County supervisors on Monday approved development of an app for the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Department to give the agency another way to alert the community when needed.

 

Sheriff Ward Calhoun said the app, which is being paid for out of inmate commissary funds, will allow the department to send information directly to residents’ phones without having to go through social media or traditional news outlets.

 

“People who sign up to get that app would get push notifications from us about whatever we could choose to put out there,” he said.

 

Several sheriff’s departments throughout the state have already implemented an app, Calhoun said, and their feedback is overwhelmingly positive. With the Board of Supervisors’ approval, work can begin bringing that resource to Lauderdale County.

 

Supervisor J.J. Anders, who serves as board president, said he is excited about the app’s possibilities and the benefits the new technology could bring to county residents. The system, he said, will keep residents informed while also allowing for targeted alerts.

 

Anders said the app is a good example of the county embracing technology, and he can see potential applications for an app for the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency, volunteer fire departments and other county resources down the line.

 

Supervisors on Monday also issued proclamations Monday recognizing National Correctional Officers and Employees Week and National Police Week.

 

National Correctional Officers and Employees Week is observed annually during the first full week of May and is set aside to recognize those who work in prisons, jails and correctional facilities.

 

National Police Week is observed during the week of May 15 each year, with May 15 set aside as National Peace Officers Memorial Day to remember law enforcement killed or disabled in the line of duty.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd asked both proclamations be read out loud Monday for the public to hear. While most in attendance had likely heard them before, he said he believes it is important for residents to know why the two weeks are observed and understand the efforts law enforcement give to keep the community safe.

 

“I know pretty much everyone in this audience has heard it probably 20 times over, but these men and women do a lot,” he said.

 

Calhoun said the proclamations mean a lot to his employees, both deputies and correctional officers, as it shows them the community appreciates what they do. In many cases, and especially with correctional officers, what they do isn’t seen by the general public, so it makes a difference to hear they have support.