Oconee County Sheriff’s Office Announces New Upgrades for Digital Siren Technology

(Walhalla, SC)------------------------------------Back in 2019, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office became the first law enforcement agency in the world to implement new technology in order to help keep motorists in Oconee County safe should they be driving in an area where a police pursuit was in progress.

The technology at that time was called Pursuit Alert.  A few years later, the name of the technology was charged to Digital Siren as upgrades continued to be made and more features were added.

Now, six years later, the Digital Siren app has been improved once again, and the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office continues to stand at the forefront to implement this technology in order to make the County safer for our citizens and those traveling through our area.

“We continue to be proactive when it comes to technology that can increase the safety and welfare of our citizens and those that visit Oconee County,” says Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw.  “Unfortunately, police pursuits are part of our enforcement duties and sometimes are needed in order to prevent further crimes from being committed or to arrest someone who is a danger to community.  That is why we were the first law enforcement agency in the world to implement what was then known as Pursuit Alert.  With improvements in the technology, Digital Siren now has more capabilities that help to further mitigate the possibilities of harm to our citizens and those traveling inside of Oconee County.”

As part of the upgrades in the Digital Siren technology, new Digital units have been installed in Uniform Patrol and Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement (P.A.C.E.) team vehicles at the Sheriff’s Office.  If those Deputies become involved in a pursuit, the units no longer require manual activation. The new technology automatically activates the alert system which eliminates another button for a deputy to have to remember to push. 

For those who have downloaded the Digital Siren app on their phones, and are within 60 – 90 seconds of a pursuit as they drive inside of Oconee County, they will receive a verbal notification on their phone stating that a pursuit is in their vicinity and to use caution. 

“The technology will only save lives if our citizens download the app to their phones, which is a free download,” says Sheriff Crenshaw.  “Also, if you are traveling to another part of the country, and law enforcement agencies in that locale also employ Digital Siren, then you can be alerted in those areas too if a police pursuit is nearby where you are.  I encourage everyone to download Digital Siren as it is a tool that can help to keep you safe as your travel.”

Sheriff Crenshaw also says that additional features have been added to the Digital Siren technology which will continue to goal of keeping citizens and travelers safe and to alert them to potential dangers.  Alerts can be sent out from the E-911 Communications Center for an Active Attack, an impaired driver or a driver driving the wrong way, for severe weather, a road closure, a missing person or any custom alert from dispatch, such as a search for an active suspect.  A dispatcher can also add specific details to the alert as well. 

Besides being notified of police pursuits, users of Digital Siren can also be alerted to approaching emergency vehicles unrelated to a pursuit, or an alert to slow down and move over due to a driver approaching emergency vehicles.   

“Users of Digital Siren can also set the time that they wish for the app to go silent once they are stationary in their homes so an alert does not go off while they are asleep,” according to Sheriff Crenshaw.  “Once again, the app is free to download and I encourage everyone to download Digital Siren.  There are some great features that have been added and more features are yet to come.”

If you have downloaded Digital Siren and you are alerted to a pursuit in your area while traveling, or you hear sirens in your vicinity as you travel, remain calm, slow down and drive cautiously through intersections you may approach.  Also, if you can safely due so, pull into the parking lot of a business or church and wait for the vehicles involved to pass. 

Always remember that in non-pursuit situations, emergency vehicles will travel in the left lane on roads with four lanes or more so make sure to shift over to the right lane in those situations when safe to do so.