Why public safety must own its voice

The community's trust is a Chief's most valuable asset. In times of crisis, when people’s lives and livelihoods hang in balance, where information comes from matters just as much as the information itself. Yet today, too many agencies are allowing outside organizations to step into that role, acting as the de facto voice of public safety. This is dangerous and unacceptable.

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The outsourcing problem

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Let’s not mince words. Some organizations have built entire businesses around listening to scanner traffic, hiring stringers, and pushing out unverified information as if it came from command. They move fast, but without responsibility. They profit from the urgency of disaster, while public safety professionals are left managing the consequences of inaccurate or premature messaging.

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That model may deliver clicks, but it doesn’t deliver accountability. And when the wrong message goes out, it’s not their credibility that suffers — it’s yours.

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Why agencies must lead

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Information flow is not a side job. It’s a core operational responsibility. If brokers become the public’s first source of “truth,” agencies surrender both authority and trust. And once lost, trust is almost impossible to regain.

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This is why Intterra has built its new mobile app to exclusively distribute authorized, agency-originated data. No brokers. No hearsay. No rumors. Just timely, accurate updates from the same professionals making life-or-death decisions on the ground.

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When your community receives an alert through this platform, they know it’s coming directly from you — their Chief, their department, their emergency manager. That’s how trust is built. That’s how authority is protected.

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Outpacing the challenge

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Here’s the other side of the coin: public safety leaders must be able to move faster than these outside organizations. The public will not wait patiently for official updates if there's a vacuum that others are eager to fill.

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This is the moment for Chiefs and agency leaders to rethink their information strategy. It’s no longer enough to brief internally and hope the press release lands in time. The public deserves real-time, direct, authoritative communication — and now, with the right tools, you can deliver it.

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The path forward

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Communities can’t outsource life-saving communication. We can’t let your voices be replaced by unaccountable intermediaries. The public expects— and deserves — to hear directly from the badge. Intterra’s platform was built to make that possible.

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Together, let’s meet the public where they are, lead with speed, accuracy, and authority. And let’s make sure the badge remains the trusted voice it has always been.

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