Frequently Asked Questions

Nixle is a community information service that alerts you to emergencies as well as important community information via cell phone texts, email and the web. The Guilderland Police provide these alerts through Nixle. Alerts are also published on Twitter and Facebook.

Nixle is free. It is important to note however standard text messaging rates may apply by your phone carrier. Most data plans include unlimited texting and if this is true for you then you will not be charged additionally by your phone carrier. If you are limited to the number of texts you receive each month you may wish to only sign up for email alerts and notifications.

There are three types of notifications:

• Alerts - Emergency-type alerts, usually life-threatening
• Advisories - Time-sensitive and non-time-sensitive important neighborhood to community-level information
• Community information - Day-to-day, neighborhood to community-level information, usually non-time-sensitive

Alerts and advisories are sent via text and email. Community information is sent by email only. You can further customize how alerts are delivered by logging into your Nixle account.

This will vary depending on the number of notifications published. The service is simple to change SMS (text) and email options by logging into your Nixle account and adjusting how you want to receive notifications.

Simply log into your Nixle account and use the "Settings" tab to configure how messages are delivered and what agencies you wish to subscribe to.

Yes, log into your Nixle account and customize what time you do not wish to receive alerts.

Compose a new text message. In the "To:" field type "888777". Type "ALERTMEGPD" (not case sensitive, but all one word) into the message field and send. You will receive a confirmation you are signed up.

Sprint often disables access to all short codes (5- and 6-digit phone numbers) from their handsets. If you are a Sprint customer, and you receive a message such as "Message Failed. Shortcode may have expired or shortcode texting may be disabled," you may need to contact Sprint to enable your phone to send and receive messages from short codes. Nixle uses the 888777 short code to send you timely messages.

You may contact Sprint by dialing "*2" on your cell phone or visiting Sprint's website.

No, Nixle does not track users.

Yes, your information is private. Information shared by users with Nixle is stored on a secure server in a secure facility. The company does not sell personal information to third-parties. The privacy of your personal information is extremely important to Nixle. See Nixle's privacy policy for more information.

Go to Nixle's retrieve your password page and enter your email address or phone number and a new password will be sent to you immediately. If you receive messages from Nixle by phone, text "PASSWORD" to 888777, and Nixle will text you your new password.

Before unsubscribing consider logging into your Nixle account and adjusting the agencies you are subscribed to and how you receive the messages. To do this login and click "Settings".

You also have the option to eliminate all SMS messages under the "account" tab should you wish to completely unsubscribe.

If opted in to texts only you may also text "STOP" to 888777 to unsubscribe.