Calif. police department considers stopping responses to alarm calls amid shrinking force

7.31.23 – Police 1 Vallejo residents will soon get the chance to weigh in on a proposed plan to have police change their response to alarm calls —and potentially stop responding to these calls altogether. The Vallejo Police Department will be hosting the...

Drones Are Responding to 911 Calls in Downtown Gresham

7.25.23 – Willamette Week (Portland, Ore.) Gresham has rolled out its new drone program, the city manager announced at a city council meeting last week. The $85,000 “Drones as First Responders” pilot program is already sending the unmanned, autonomous flying...

‘Difference between life and death’: Inside the staffing crisis at 911 dispatch centers

7.19.23 – ABC News – By Peter Charalambous Experts describe a state of “haves and have-nots” for some 911 call centers. The San Francisco 911 Emergency Call Center,. July 31, 2017, in San Francisco.The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images...

‘Overwhelmed’ 911 system led to delays in St. Louis storm response, official says

7.7.23 – The Associated Press – ST. LOUIS (AP) Strong storms that tore through the St. Louis area last weekend “completely overwhelmed” the region’s 911 systems, a public official said in response to complaints about long delays in fielding sometimes dire...

News in Brief- Perryville outlaws false alarms

7.12.23 – Cecil Daily – Perryville -By Jane Bellmyer jbellmyer@cecilwhig.com The mayor and commissioners of Perryville have approved an ordinance that establishes penalties for errant alarm systems for homes and businesses. When passing the ordinance...

Fake calls, real consequences: The public safety impact of ‘swatting

6.30.23 – By Annie Knox and Daniella Rivera, KSL-TV – SALT LAKE CITY Police storming high school hallways, guns drawn. Students hiding in classrooms. Tearful parents rushing to campus. This scene played out in communities across Utah on just one day, with...