SHALIMAR, Fla., Sept. 24, 2020—A new program allows callers to send information directly to 911 dispatchers.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is one of the first agencies in the country to implement a new Motorola Solutions 9-1-1 pilot program that allows callers to send video, photographs and recordings directly to dispatchers in the Communications Unit via their cell phones. 

“With a few extra clicks, dispatchers can send the 911 caller a link to use to provide secure video or images in a controlled environment in real time so we can see what they are seeing,” said OCSO Assistant Communications Director Audrey Adams.

The visual content is then stored in a vault for access by OCSO supervisors to boost public and officer safety during an incident, and for evidentiary purposes.

“There is nothing more important to a community’s public safety initiatives than ensuring its residents can provide critical information to a 911 operator in times of crises,” said Lynne Houserman, vice president of Emergency Call Handling, Software Enterprise with Motorola Solutions. 

In implementing this pilot program, “the agency has cemented itself as a leader in providing the nation’s most innovative emergency call handling solutions to its community,” she said.

“We are so very excited to be able to offer this to our citizens. We believe it’s going to be of great benefit to the community,” said Adams.

Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office news release