More police stations upgrading to VoIP technology, report says

Police stations across the country are looking to invest in VoIP telephony systems that can allow them to one day build 911 multimedia call centers capable of receiving photo messages, video content and text messages. In the long run, these advanced call centers are expected to increase public safety by allowing individuals greater access to police services.

While this goal is still far off for many of the law enforcement professionals who work the phone lines, the equivalent of VoIP business phones are currently allowing some of these individuals and their agencies to mitigate potential communications problems, according to a report by Government Technology.

For example, the news source specifically cited one incident that took place in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, in 2011, when a construction crew accidentally took out a number of fiber-optic cables. With public safety answering points (PSAP) down under the old system, the damage could have been far worse, as communication lines may have potentially been down for hours. However, because the municipality decided to invest in unified communications technology, communication services were reconnected in about 30 minutes.

“That’s fantastic for an unplanned event,” PSAP manager lieutenant Lori Dreier, of the St. Louis Park police force, told the news source.

According to the report, many of the advantages that help business professionals enjoy easier and more flexible communications are also helping law enforcement officials. For instance, VoIP technology can allow call centers to transfer emergency calls when one facility needs to evacuate.

VoIP business phones can offer on-the-go employees the same benefits. Companies that need their employees to travel back and forth between multiple locations can rest assured that by investing in the technology their employees can access voicemail and messages before a crisis situation affects the business’ bottom line.

Police stations across the country are looking to invest in VoIP telephony systems that can allow them to one day build 911 multimedia call centers capable of receiving photo messages, video content and text messages.