BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - The Brookhaven Police Department has implemented another technology they say will help first responders assess situations faster.
This week the department announced it has begun to live-stream 911 calls directly to officers responding to that particular call as they are en route. Police say the department is the first in Georgia and only the 78th in the country to make that technology available.
The Live911 system, developed by HigherGround, just finished a three-month testing period which started in late October 2022. The 911 call is first lived mapped, to show officers the exact location. It then allows the call to be streamed in full, it no longer needs to go through a dispatcher. The department believes this will reduce response times and situational assessments.
"We are very excited with the early results we are seeing from our integration of Live911. Our officers are getting a level of detail from the 911 callers firsthand. This has been game-changing for our officers," said Lieutenant Abrem Ayana.
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Over the last decade, Brookhaven’s police force has been adding new technologies to its arsenal to combat crime smarter, not harder. They were one of the first to utilize the Automated License Plate Reader and two years ago, they were one of the first law enforcement agencies to begin its own drone squad, which are dispatched ahead of officers to assess the scene. The drone team also has helped in tracking down criminals in hard to reach places.
"We are always looking for new ways to fulfill our mission of providing professional, high quality, and effective police services to the citizens of Brookhaven," said Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley. "The addition of groundbreaking technology like Live911 has already saved lives and given our officers a head start to an emergency when seconds count."
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The new Live911 system does not change anything for callers. Anyone calling 911 in the city will need to give the best address, a description of the situation, and any other pertinent information. The one thing officers do ask is to make sure to speak clearly.