HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn.—The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) has announced that it has launched ASAP (Automated Secure Alarm Protocol) Service, a digital alarm service that automates the exchange of alarm information between alarm monitoring companies and emergency communications centers (ECCs).
The service marks a significant milestone in HCSO’s ongoing efforts to enhance public safety operations and support its emergency communications staff.
COLUMBIA — A seven-year process to open a new emergency communications center in Richland County is almost done.
Richland County Council discussed the 911 call center in executive session during an Oct. 7 meeting. After the session, the council members directed the county administrator to look into staffing options for the center.
SAUGUS — The Board of Selectmen and Town Manager Scott Crabtree sat down together to discuss the priorities the Board has set and the current status of them.
One of these priorities is the public safety communications improvements which Crabtree spoke about.
“We’ve gone through revamped plans over the last year or two and trying to get the right amount of money to do the things that are needed within this communication system,” he said.
As technology has increasingly affected nearly every part of daily life, the Scranton Police Department has kept up, using tools to facilitate training, improve public safety and hasten communication.
October 20, 2025 •
Geraldine Gibbons, The Times-Tribune
(TNS) — Scranton police Officer Nicholas Philbin didn’t waste a second when he responded to assist with a suicidal woman with a knife in the parking lot of a Dickson City shopping center on a recent Saturday.
As he pulled out of the station, his vehicle functioned as a mini mobile unit. Dispatchers provided real time information. A computer system tracked updates. GPS tracked his route.
Philbin, a member of the department for eight years, said as technology evolves, so does police officers’ capacity to respond to incidents quickly and efficiently.
As Philbin maneuvered through traffic, he was aware of other departments on their way to the scene. The vehicle was equipped with technology that would beep if another patrol vehicle was about 30 seconds away.
Philbin’s body and vehicle cameras were active throughout the incident, which ended with the woman being taken to a hospital for mental health treatment.
After incidents, officers can write reports and complete other documentation from their vehicle laptop.
Philbin said technology keeps officers on patrol and helps them spend less time in the office writing reports. The vehicle was also equipped with a printer for citations, which were previously handwritten.
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I want to focus on where we’re headed: the technology shaping the future of 911, the challenges that come with it, and how our community can help keep the system strong. Because while 911 has come a long way since its beginnings in 1968, its future depends not only on technology and budgets, but also on the people it serves.
Maine utility regulators are weighing whether to penalize a telephone carrier that routed 911 calls to an administrative line for nearly two years, potentially limiting callers’ ability to reach dispatchers during an emergency.
The Public Utilities Commission opened an investigation into the Union River Telephone Company last week after the state emergency communications bureau learned of the issue.
Learn about current efforts to continue to protect the 4.9 GHz Band for public safety as well as recent filings, key decisions impacting these efforts, and how you can support PSSA’s initiative to protect the 4.9 GHz band for public safety.
