"Joke County" E-911 news

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quatlo

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Computerized Dispatching OK'd - Kiss Those Scanners Goodbye

www.thenews-journal.com

By Victoriana Summers - Staff writer - The News Journal, Raeford NC (Hoke County) - January 4, 2006

Hoke commissioners last night approved a new computerized dispatching system, ensuring there will soon be a lot of “dead air” at the local command center and on scanners monitored by residents across the county. Future emergency calls will be directly transmitted via a wireless computer system to law enforcement, rescue and fire personnel rather than by “audible” radio, according to E-9-1-1 communications director Jimmy Stewart. However, FirstHealth of the Carolinas medics will not be on the system unless FirstHealth is willing to pay for the software and computers required to operate it.

“Our emergency calls have grown ten percent per year,” Stewart said of demand for services. “In ten years, we have doubled our responses. It would take a load off our dispatching for routine stuff which is becoming more of a burden. We could attend to more hot calls. Right now, criminals can figure out where everything is at in the county.”

Rather like a military stealth bomber evading radar detection by an enemy, the mobile dispatch system would prevent criminals from intercepting the location and nature of an emergency call. Mobile data terminals (MDTs) capability would also prevent criminals from monitoring the activities of the Hoke Sheriff’s Office when a crime or drug bust may be in progress. According to E-9-1-1 statistics, Hoke communications handled 65,000 calls requesting emergency service from January 1 to December 30, 2005 that were processed via radio transmissions.

Other activities such as warrant information and record keeping is currently tying up the dispatch system. With MDT, telecommunicators could inform law officers in their vehicles more efficiently of an emergency request, Stewart said, and deputies could also check directly on the status of criminal backgrounds and warrants. Deputies would use MDT units in their vehicles without contacting E-9-1-1 for routine issues.

Stewart is asking the county to convert to the mobile dispatch system, costing approximately $450,000, to lease the equipment and software over a period of five years. If approved, payment on the lease would not begin until the next fiscal year. Funding for the system would be allocated from Hoke’s general fund, but the county would own the equipment at the end of the lease, he said.

“There is no additional certification required for people to operate the system,” Stewart said. “Training would come from Vision, the firm that would complete the installation. Most of the software will last forever. The mobile data terminals would have to be replaced every five to six years.” If the system is not installed, Stewart advised the board that more telecommunicators would have to be hired in the future for the E-9-1-1 center. He said he preferred to invest moneys in “better technology” to reduce the communication center’s workload rather than adding additional personnel.

Hoke’s board of commissioners voted 3-2 to approve the system. Commissioners Bill Cameron and Charles V. Daniels were against approving it until the board discussed it in more detail at upcoming budget workshops. They said they were looking out for taxpayers’ moneys to be sure the county could afford the new system. However, Commission Chairman Bobby Wright and Commissioner James A. Leach said it would help expedite emergency help for citizens.

“Our population is growing as well as our calls for service,” Stewart said. “Since 1989 when our communications center was first formed, I am pleased to say, we have one of the finest 9-1-1 centers in the state. However, right now, we are somewhat fragmented. With this mobile system, we could speed up responses for warrants.” Stewart commended the Sheriff’s Office in its diligence. Stewart indicated more people, who are wanted for property crimes, are being “caught” on a daily basis by deputies and detectives. However, Stewart said with that effort comes a higher call volume on the E-9-1-1 system.

“There are more stolen weapons being recovered and more stolen cars being found,” Stewart said. “The Sheriff’s Office and the Raeford Police are very aggressive over the return of stolen property.” Stewart said the wireless system would be a savings and safety factor that outweighs the initial start-up expenses. He said the Hoke E-9-1-1 Advisory Board has recommended the system be installed. “It will save some money in the long run,” Stewart said. “It allows law officers to enter routine statuses from the field. They can enter themselves on business checks, warrant services, on and off duty, meals, follow-ups or any other service that we currently use.”

By using mobile data terminals , E-9-1-1 telecommunicators would transmit emergency requests via computer directly to the vehicles of Hoke Sheriff’s deputies, Raeford police, firefighters and rescue personnel. This technique would replace most transmissions over the airwaves, Stewart added. Stewart said another advantage would be MDTs could be utilized as a way to daily track the jail population. Records of inmates would become a permanent part of the information system in the event they might be implicated in future crimes after their release from jail.

In a recent presentation to the board, Stewart and John Joseph, special investigator for the Hoke District Attorney’s Office, urged commissioners to approve the proposed system. “I think we have made many strides,” Joseph, who is a member of the E-9-1-1 board, said. “We have by far one of the best centers within 75 miles. The reality is if you (commissiones) do not address this system, you will be addressing it in the future. It will be better for fire protection, and it will help to lower insurance rates for citizens.”

Joseph said MDTs would also be beneficial to the DA’s office in tracking inmates waiting for trail. “The DA’s office is keeping up with who is in the jail every morning, but our problem is that by lunch those numbers are obsolete,” Joseph said. “We are hoping we can tie into something so we can monitor our jail population more closely. Fire Departments would also send fire reports on this system to state government. Every fire department would have a central integrated system,” he said. “Every department would benefit considerably from this program.”

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Sounds like the "Hooterville" Gazette
 

CCHLLM

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Sounds to me like Hoke County is just moving into the 21st century. Get used to it, it's what's coming everywhere. Remember, they can't do away with the voice traffic altogether since it's essential for day-to-day ops and incidents. That "human-to-human" routine, priority, and emergency traffic is going to be around until all emergency personnel get RF implants or become telepathic.

Try giving a listen to Wake County's Locution synthesized voice dispatch for a real awakening if you've never heard that type of system. They like to make jokes that the emergency services folks and scannerheads in neighboring Harnett County keep calling trying to get a date with "her."
 
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CCHLLM

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It may be news in Hoke County, but practically every municipality in NC now has LE units on the state's several-year-old ANALOG data 800 mHz MDT system or on their own internet linked systems, especially the metro areas, so all the dispatch/info tracking/messaging stuff is absolutely nothing new. The funding for the newer multi-service/multi-agency systems is coming from Homeland Security/VIPER/bonds/grants/budgeting, etc., so as to who's getting a kick-back, who knows? Hoke County, like several entities in NC, is way behind in the data comms area for emergency services. That includes Forsyth County (where I live) which is a "newbie" to the world of trunked radio (not to mention that "digital" thingamabob) and info systems, though the county was using the state system and there was a local city-owned mobile data system here for many years.

If it's too Buck Rogers and not very practical, why are so many agencies signing on and finding it much more efficient? Or did you mean to poke a little fun at 'em? :D
 
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blinddog50

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Poke, Poke.

This is old stuff in Charlotte/Mecklenburg.

If you're ever in Charlotte, listen to tg 14384, the computer/laptop talkgroup.

It's one of the busier tg's. Officers calling in with locked up laptops.

It can be fun listening to the tech walking them thru the system.

You know these guys need a beer at the end of the day!
 

FireCop

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LOL, it'll be O.K. if they can get it to work. Mo'ville's system is not working properly due to using the states transmitters. They can't hit the nearest tower to transmit, so no updated call info, etc. SHP is working on getting a new transmitter. That should help.
 

quatlo

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Joke County E911

I don't think Joke County has entered the present century quite yet. Hopefully the users of the new MDT's can type better than they can talk. Of course the E-911 agencies will always have a need to talk. Reference the "kickback" comments - corruption has long been the rule in Joke County. The $450 K is coming out of the county coffers, and Joke County is either the poorest or second poorest county in the entire state. The comments by the Joke County E-911 director are laughable; "the software will last forever" and "we have the best E-911 operations within 75 miles" and etc.

If the E-911 director ever hears the word "digital" he would probably request and get fundage for digital scrambling. Southern Pines PD uses it routinely in nearby Moore County.
 

KE4ZNR

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The computers are down a lot of the time,so the voice will be heard

Please don't bump a several year old thread unless there
has been a major change in the threads content.
Thanks
Marshall KE4ZNR
 
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