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911 Alternate Services - GPS devices, smart phone apps

By Karen Sutherland posted 07-22-2015 14:49

  
Request for policy/SOPs:

As more and more companies develop smart phone applications and GPS mobile devices that can be carried or worn on the body to be used in cases of medical or personal safety emergencies, PSAPs feel the weight of the responsibility.  Scottsdale PD, Arizona has begun receiving calls from monitoring companies with limited information for alarms that have been activated.

I spoke with representatives from a few companies chosen at random off the internet.  They all describe the same process:  They are generally monitoring agencies for several companies.  A person purchasing the device or application activates it in case of any type of emergency.  The monitoring agency may then attempt to make contact with the wearer through a speaker on the device.  If they receive no response they then call the number for the owner that is on file.  If that does not work, they contact the PSAP via the non-emergency number for the area indicated by GPS on the device or phone.  It is their belief that the PSAP is then able to PING the device to determine the device's updated location in cases where the person in danger is moving.

This leads to many questions about the lawfulness of PINGING phones that did not actually dial 911 and response to these 'alarms'.  I would be interested in how other agencies handle these calls and if anyone has actually received any calls that required PINGING the phone or device.  And while dispatchers are very familiar with PINGING 911 cell calls, a device with GPS is somewhat of a mystery. 

Thanks to anyone with information to share.

Karen Sutherland
Communications Operations Manager
Scottsdale Police Department
ksutherland@scottsdaleaz.gov
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05-06-2016 18:03

I would be interested in this info also.