Jersey City To Launch Upgraded 911 System Next Month

Jersey City will introduce major changes to its emergency dispatch system on May 14. The new setup will reduce misrouted calls and speed up response times, according to city officials.

“If you’re calling 911, that might be the most important phone call you make in your life,” Mayor James Solomon said, according to News 12 New Jersey. “You have to have a safe, professional response.”

The update fixes a problem. Emergency calls get routed outside city limits. Why? The old technology sends calls based on cellphone tower location instead of where the caller stands.

“You may be calling from the west side of Jersey City and get a tower in Newark or the southern part of the city and get routed to Bayonne,” Solomon said. “All that is what we’re going to update and change. We’re going to have specific geolocation so that we’ll know you’re calling from Jersey City and you’ll be routed directly to Jersey City’s call center.”

The new system allows callers to text 911 after making contact with dispatchers. Video sharing becomes possible too. These features weren’t available before.

“If there’s a video of a crime being taken by the caller, we can ask for permission to use it and send that video right to dispatch,” Jersey City Police Dept Sgt. James Woods said. “Before police even get there, we can see what’s going on.”

Geolocation technology ensures residents receive help from local responders rather than having their calls transferred between towns and cities. This change should eliminate delays caused by the tower-based routing method that’s been in place.

City leaders stressed how crucial it is to connect callers with the correct call center on the first attempt. Officers will gain information about situations before they arrive on scene, thanks to the video capability.

The launch happens in one month.

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