The Roanoke Rapids Police Department and Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to establish an email alert system to provide immediate, updated multi-source intelligence to support local law enforcement, financial and retail businesses in the detection, investigation, apprehension and the prosecution of criminals.

COP ALERT is a network of law enforcement, financial and retail communities who are notified by email of known crimes and criminal information, which may directly affect them. Local law enforcement agencies will provide COP ALERT members intelligence information, which may be comprised of the suspect's name, physical descriptors, and nature of the crime and picture of the participant(s) when available. The COP ALERT email service will enable local law enforcement agencies to quickly disseminate information to help minimize exposure to fraud, robberies, theft, and counterfeiting.

Criminals are very mobile and may travel committing crimes over large areas often crossing jurisdictional boundaries. COP ALERT will allow businesses in the Roanoke Valley to be aware of information from other areas along the I-95 corridor. Sharing information about criminal activity within the close proximity to Roanoke Rapids and Weldon will decrease the likelihood of continued victimization and will increase the likelihood of detection and apprehension.

To become a part of the COP ALERT email system you must be an established business within the Roanoke Valley and have the use of an email account to receive COP ALERT information. The business can forward an email address to the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce attention "COP ALERT" with their company information and they will be added to the email list. Email information will be kept confidential information and will not be given out.

A business responding to an email alert can call the police department's non-emergency number (583-2488) or if there is an emergency, 911. COP ALERT is a cooperative effort between law enforcement and businesses working together to prevent criminal activity in our community.

Contact the Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce at (252) 537-3513 or Roanoke Rapids Police Department at 533-2810 for more information.

In 2011, the Roanoke Rapids Police Department now offers COP Alert on Twitter. You can join us at http://www.twitter.com/roanokerapidspd.