RCMP in Saskatchewan are moving forward with plans to have Amber Alerts transmitted on the province’s emergency app for smartphones.
Spokesman Paul Dederick says there’s no timeline because extensive training is still required, but police expect to be able to issue Amber Alerts on the SaskAlert app this year.
The government says the app, which was launched in June 2016, is capable of issuing missing person information.
But administration of the Amber Alert program falls under the RCMP’s jurisdiction.
READ MORE: Saskatchewan emergency alert system doesn’t include Amber Alerts
Saskatchewan RCMP said last November that they were in talks with the government to explore the implementation of Amber Alert notifications on the SaskAlert smartphone app.
The issue came up when an Amber Alert was issued for a missing seven-year-old girl, who was later found dead.
Nia Eastman was the subject of an Amber Alert on Nov. 10 after her father didn’t drop her off as planned at her mother’s house in Choiceland.
Police say Adam Jay Eastman committed suicide and, hours later, his daughter’s body was discovered in a home by investigators.
READ MORE: Police confirm Nia Eastman killed by her father in Saskatchewan Amber Alert case
The SaskAlert app is aimed at warning residents about emergencies such as wildfires, tornadoes, blizzards, hazardous material spills, boil-water advisories and evacuations. It sends a tone and notification directly to phone users, even when the app is closed.