Concerns about RCMP's failure to send emergency alert on gunman's rampage

#NovaScotiaRCMP; #NovaScotiaShooting; #EmergecyAlarm; RCMPQuestioned

Nova Scotia, Apr 22 (Canadian-Media): Many questions have risen about the Nova Scotia RCMP's failure to send emergency alert to local residents in Nova Scotia, in spite of being aware of the murderous gunman on the loose Saturday night, media reports said.

Nova Scotia RCMP. Image credit: Twitter handle

The public of Nova Scotia had been warned by a couple of tweets sent by the police force to its thousands of followers late Saturday, and early Sunday morning and asked the people of Portapique to lock their doors as they investigated a firearms complaint and that the shooter was armed and dangerous.

But the police force failed to realize that not everyone has internet or twitter and face book account, the police could use emergency sent to phones could have saved several lives.

It was also confirmed Tuesday by Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil that never received a request from the Mounties to send a message to the community through Alert Ready, Canada's emergency alert system, which sends messages to Canadians through television, radio and LTE-connected cell phones.

The province's Emergency Management Office had been activated, McNeil said,  technicians were brought in Saturday to send such an alert, but the request never came from the Mounties.

Under the terms of the Alert Ready system, federal, provincial and territorial governments are "responsible for issuing emergency alerts."

At a press conference Monday, the RCMP could not explain why an emergency alert wasn't sent to warn local residents about an active shooter.

When asked by the media Tuesday why the RCMP did not immediately respond and directed requests for comment to the provincial RCMP.