Ontario

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are taking to your devices to help keep you informed of certain events.

Starting Monday, you may begin to receive text messages from the OPP as it rolls out a new engagement tool. According to police, the system "enables fully automated messages to be sent to a caller’s SMS-enabled device after they have initiated certain types of calls through 911 or the non-emergency line."

There is a specific list of event types that can be sent out as messages with this new system.

Typically, it works when the caller gets a text message with their event number. Some might also include additional information related to a specific call type.

"For example, messages sent in response to calls relating to some motor vehicle collisions might include information on Collision Reporting Centres," read the OPP notice. "After the call is cleared by the responding officer, if/as required, the initial caller will receive an invitation to a brief voluntary survey to provide feedback on their experience with the OPP."

You can choose to receive messages in English or French, and opt out if you wish.

Complete information on the new text-messaging initiative can be found on the official OPP website.

If you are concerned that you may have received such a message fraudulently, call the OPP non-emergency line to verify at 1-888-310-1122.