Public safety doesn't happen in silos. Whether it's a warrant roundup, severe weather, a school incident, or a major public event, operations often require seamless coordination across jurisdictions, disciplines, and departments. Yet many agencies still rely on internal messaging tools that are inherently limited in multi-agency environments.

When public safety agencies rely on consumer messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram, they create serious legal, operational and security risks. These tools violate many records retention and discovery laws governing public safety, lack administrative oversight, and compromise mission-critical communications.

In the high-stakes world of public safety, communication is critical. Yet one of the most common tools used during critical operations—text messaging—was never designed for the job. From SWAT callouts to severe weather incidents, texting can create operational challenges that put efficiency and lives at risk. This article outlines five critical limitations that make consumer-grade messaging inadequate for mission-critical public safety operations.

Texting is quick but in public safety, it’s also risky. Discover why informal messaging puts lives at stake.