HOLLAND, Mich. — An emergency alert causing an uproar in Holland Sunday evening is part of a new community initiative.
The alert was sent to resident’s cellphones around 5 p.m. saying anyone receiving the alert should seek shelter due to “a law enforcement incident.”
Ottawa County Sheriff’s Deputies told FOX 17 it was part of a new procedure. Sunday’s alert was for an investigation at a Holland Township apartment building in the 500 block of 136th Avenue.
The alert allows police to let the public know they will be handling a situation in their area without going door-to-door. The alert only affects those who receive the notice.
“As part of the Sheriff’s Offices efforts to keep the public safe and informed, notifications were sent to cell phones in the area of the incident asking the public to stay away from the area or to shelter in place. ” The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. “The notifications were sent to a small geographical area that covered an area of approximately 1/2 miles around the scene of the investigation.”
Authorities said some people driving through the area at the time of the investigation could receive the alert. Their techs say some cellphone carriers may have shared the alert outside the half-mile area as well.
