Dispatcher Tells Commissioners About Prank Call
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
Two months ago, if a driver in trouble called 911 on a cell phone and was unaware of their location, chances are the county's dispatch center couldn't track them down.
All that changed with the installation of a new system, which maps cell phone locations in cell phones with global information systems installed.
Dispatch Supervisor Tom Brindle used last week's prank caller to the county dispatch to illustrate the Indiana Wireless Network at the commissioners meeting Tuesday. A tape of the call was heard as the projected mapping system was displayed. An "X" marked the location of the cell phone in use.
A second-grader from Harrison Elementary School placed six calls to dispatch without being in an emergency situation. The boy's mother had given her son the telephone to play games. The cell phone was "disabled." Disabled cell phones can still call 911.
This is the first system of its kind in the state, Brindle said. Jasper County will install the program within the next month.
State Treasurer Tim Berry is backing the system, using cell phone 911 fees to fund the technology.
"It's free to us," Brindle said, "and provided for public safety."
Brindle has kept up to date on the latest in computer technology and never been dependent upon a contracted telephone company's upgrades and maintenance for 911 calls. Because of this, Kosciusko County Central Dispatch was able to quickly revert to the new programming.
"Basically, we're ahead of everyone else," said County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.
The center can receive more than 250 cell phone calls a week. If a driver has had an accident and doesn't know where they are, the system can locate them as long as cell phone companies provide the information.
Brindle said Verizon, Sprint and Nextel offer this feature. T-Mobile and Cingular still use the triangulation method and it's hit and miss on their locations.
Brindle and his daughter tested the system. A recorded map showed her cell phone located on Ind. 13 in front of the North Webster Community Center, proceeding north on Ind. 13 near the Epworth Forest Road, then again when she turned north off of Epworth Forest.
Brindle said each county can switch to the system at a cost of about $2,500 and do away with other computer systems in the process.
Mitchell said these savings do not change the fact that the 911 account is going to run out of money next year.
Revenues from "landline" telephones is down because so many people have switched to cell phones as their primary communication. The state captures the 911 levy on cell phones and has reduced the amount of money distributed to the counties.
Chief Deputy Treasurer Cindy Nolton introduced a program to capture delinquent personal property taxes. There are 1,148 outstanding parcels owing a total of $164,835.44.
American Financial Credit Services will provide the collection service at no cost to the county. They add a fee to taxes due, as allowed by statute.
The company will return 100 percent of the taxes to county coffers.
The commissioners approved the collection program.
The board also:
• Heard from Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine that Advance Medical Care representatives will appear at the Oct. 12 county council meeting. The company provides medical care to jail inmates on a contract basis.
• Heard from Highway Superintendent Dennis Pletcher that the proper paperwork was filed to take over street maintenance in Fox Wood Estates.
He also presented a stop sign ordinance for a two-way stop at CR 560E and Barbee Lake Road and for a stop sign in the Atlantis Villas subdivision.
Work on the Oswego bridge over the Tippecanoe River will proceed again shortly. The bridge was closed for a week while the main decking was replaced. When work resumes traffic will be funneled through one lane during work hours and the bridge will be open in the evenings.
County commissioners are Brad Jackson, Avis Gunter and Ron Truex. [[In-content Ad]]
Two months ago, if a driver in trouble called 911 on a cell phone and was unaware of their location, chances are the county's dispatch center couldn't track them down.
All that changed with the installation of a new system, which maps cell phone locations in cell phones with global information systems installed.
Dispatch Supervisor Tom Brindle used last week's prank caller to the county dispatch to illustrate the Indiana Wireless Network at the commissioners meeting Tuesday. A tape of the call was heard as the projected mapping system was displayed. An "X" marked the location of the cell phone in use.
A second-grader from Harrison Elementary School placed six calls to dispatch without being in an emergency situation. The boy's mother had given her son the telephone to play games. The cell phone was "disabled." Disabled cell phones can still call 911.
This is the first system of its kind in the state, Brindle said. Jasper County will install the program within the next month.
State Treasurer Tim Berry is backing the system, using cell phone 911 fees to fund the technology.
"It's free to us," Brindle said, "and provided for public safety."
Brindle has kept up to date on the latest in computer technology and never been dependent upon a contracted telephone company's upgrades and maintenance for 911 calls. Because of this, Kosciusko County Central Dispatch was able to quickly revert to the new programming.
"Basically, we're ahead of everyone else," said County Auditor Sue Ann Mitchell.
The center can receive more than 250 cell phone calls a week. If a driver has had an accident and doesn't know where they are, the system can locate them as long as cell phone companies provide the information.
Brindle said Verizon, Sprint and Nextel offer this feature. T-Mobile and Cingular still use the triangulation method and it's hit and miss on their locations.
Brindle and his daughter tested the system. A recorded map showed her cell phone located on Ind. 13 in front of the North Webster Community Center, proceeding north on Ind. 13 near the Epworth Forest Road, then again when she turned north off of Epworth Forest.
Brindle said each county can switch to the system at a cost of about $2,500 and do away with other computer systems in the process.
Mitchell said these savings do not change the fact that the 911 account is going to run out of money next year.
Revenues from "landline" telephones is down because so many people have switched to cell phones as their primary communication. The state captures the 911 levy on cell phones and has reduced the amount of money distributed to the counties.
Chief Deputy Treasurer Cindy Nolton introduced a program to capture delinquent personal property taxes. There are 1,148 outstanding parcels owing a total of $164,835.44.
American Financial Credit Services will provide the collection service at no cost to the county. They add a fee to taxes due, as allowed by statute.
The company will return 100 percent of the taxes to county coffers.
The commissioners approved the collection program.
The board also:
• Heard from Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine that Advance Medical Care representatives will appear at the Oct. 12 county council meeting. The company provides medical care to jail inmates on a contract basis.
• Heard from Highway Superintendent Dennis Pletcher that the proper paperwork was filed to take over street maintenance in Fox Wood Estates.
He also presented a stop sign ordinance for a two-way stop at CR 560E and Barbee Lake Road and for a stop sign in the Atlantis Villas subdivision.
Work on the Oswego bridge over the Tippecanoe River will proceed again shortly. The bridge was closed for a week while the main decking was replaced. When work resumes traffic will be funneled through one lane during work hours and the bridge will be open in the evenings.
County commissioners are Brad Jackson, Avis Gunter and Ron Truex. [[In-content Ad]]