New 911 system helping Blue Springs police respond faster
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo. — Police in Blue Springs are getting a head start when they’re called for help.
The City of Blue Springs is now using an enhanced emergency response system called Live 911, which is designed to help officers arrive more quickly. The police department has entered a one-year contract to use this new technology.
The high-tech 911 system routes calls for help directly to officers in the field, allowing them to hear and understand the need immediately from the caller.
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A GPS feature within the system helps find the police officer who’s closest to the call for help.
Blue Springs Police Ofc. Kealoah Prior said he believes this could be useful when responding to someone who’s overdosing or somebody who needs emergency CPR. That’s in addition to situations that involve immediate danger to the public.
“It allows us to get there just a little bit sooner,” Prior said. “By us being able to hear the actual live call coming in, it saves us a little time by being able to head in that direction and it could get us there minutes sooner.”
By hearing those 911 calls live, officers can hear vocal tones, which might tell them the level of danger involved in a call for assistance. They might also detect other cues, like mentions of abuse or illegal activity, that might lead to saving somebody’s life.
When Live 911 receives a call for help that comes from a school, every officer on duty is sent to the school’s campus immediately, regardless of where they are in the city. Zachary Cobb, who manages police dispatchers for the city, said this is an added layer of information for officers on the street, and the speed factor that’s involved can keep schools safer, especially if there’s a serious threat.
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“We’re trying to assess where something is and how much danger there could be — if there’s critical danger or if there’s anyone injured. We try to paint a picture of what’s going on for officers to respond to, and do the best they can to keep people safe,” Cobb said on Monday.
Cobb emphasized this new technology is meant to assist police dispatchers, and it isn’t intended to replace people.
Blue Springs is believed to be the only metro police department using Live 911.
The Blue Springs School District released a statement saying: “The Blue Springs School District’s Department of Public Safety works closely with the Blue Springs Police Department to ensure the safest possible school environments. Live911 and Campus Alert are just one more way our organizations can work together for the safety and security of our schools and community.”
