FOR RELEASE TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1996
AT&T making neighborhoods safer with national community police number
WASHINGTON, D.C. – AT&T announced today it has established a toll-free national number for nonemergency calls to help relieve the congestion of the nation's 911 system. 1-800-379-COPS (1-800-379-2077) has been reserved as the National Community Police number. Police jurisdictions must sign up for the service with AT&T to begin implementation.
The development of a national nonemergency number comes at a critical juncture in the history of the 911 system. AT&T launched 911 as an emergency reporting service in 1968. That system has worked well for the country – so well, it is now overtaxed in many areas. Nationwide, an estimated 260,000 calls are placed to 911 every day; in some places, up to 90 percent of these calls are deemed nonemergency.
A toll-free national nonemergency number also is considered critical to the success of the nation's community policing initiatives. Community-based policing typically results in more calls to 911 as citizens become proactive in preventing crime. As more jurisdictions launch these programs, there is a growing concern that the effectiveness of the 911 system will be further diluted.
"For the past year, AT&T has consulted with law enforcement officials nationwide on ways to apply our communications technology to their concerns about the overburdening of the 911 system," said Richard Lombardi, President AT&T Government Markets. "Because of our role in the establishment of 911 as the number to call for emergencies, we felt a responsibility to take a leadership role in the development of a national nonemergency service as well," he said.
AT&T is responding to concerns expressed by numerous law enforcement officials and agencies, including the National Sheriff's Association (NSA), the National Troopers Coalition (NTC) and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). President Clinton also is expected to ask the Department of Justice to work with the FCC and the telecommunications industry to establish a new nonemergency number that is easy to use and easy to remember.
Once a police department implements the service, people seeking police help in situations that are not life-threatening – to provide a tip on a crime, to complain about noisy neighbors or to report a stranded motorist – can call 1-800-379-COPS (1-800-379-2077) to receive appropriate help from police officers in their communities.
"Redirecting nonemergency calls from 911 will give police departments greater flexibility in how they respond to calls for service, and allow 911 operators to concentrate on handling life-threatening emergencies and crimes in progress," said Lombardi.
The AT&T nonemergency service uses an emerging technology called Intelligent Call Processing (ICP) to route incoming calls from anywhere in the country to the caller's nearest local policing facility for assistance. No other communications company currently offers ICP.
AT&T Language Line* Services also will enable local law enforecement officers to communicate with a growing non-English-speaking population. If a person needs translation assistance, a Language Line operator will be connected within a minute.
"We think this new number will make it easier for community members to work with police to proactively prevent crime, reduce fear and improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods," said Lombardi.