New York City wants camera phone system for emergency, non-emergency purposes

New York City wants to enable residents to be able to transmit camera phone photos to the E911 system for emergencies as well as to the new 311 system for non-emergency purposes, according to an article in Newsday.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg in his State of the City Address (see left), said yesterday, "This year, we'll begin a revolutionary innovation in crime-fighting:  Equipping 911 call centers to receive digital images and videos New Yorkers send from cell phones and computers something no other city in the world is doing.

"If you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition you'll be able to transmit images to 911, or online to NYC.GOV.  And we'll start extending the same technology to 311 to allow New Yorkers to step forward and document non-emergency quality of life concerns holding City agencies accountable for correcting them quickly and efficiently."

The city has not yet signed a contract for the camera phone system., Newsday reports.

Emergency + non-emergency uses

John A. Feinblatt, the mayor's criminal justice coordinator, says in Newsday, "Information is the bedrock of good law enforcement.  The more information that the police have and the more quickly that they get it, the more likely that they are going to fight a crime."

Using camera phones for these purposes -- emergency and non-emergency applications -- isn't new but New York would be at the forefront, especially if it integrates its 311 system.  That system is designed as a single telephone number for residents to call to contact city services.

Many cities, including those in Japan, accept camera phone photos relating to crimes, automobile accidents, for example.

London's non-emergency project

Although cities in the United States and abroad are looking at camera phones more for emergency purposes, I know of at least on municipality that uses camera phone photos to help remove graffiti.

As I wrote two years ago, Lewisham, a borough of London, has been asking residents to send photos of graffiti in the area.  The graffiti would be removed and the residents notified.

Update (2/2/07):  I just checked the Lewisham Web site and the camera phone project is still going strong.  In fact, people aren't transmitting photos of just graffiti but also are sending images of potholes and garbage and refrigerators dumped in the area (see below).

Perhaps New York City should contact Lewisham to learn about its experiences in anticipation of expanding the camera phone effort to non-emergency 311 situations.  New York planners will need to determine what type of non-emergency photos they will accept.

Support for New York's plan

An article in The New York Times reports enthusiasm for the plan.  Jerome M. Hauer, an antiterrorism consultant in Washington, D.C. who was director of emergency management under Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, says in the article, "Anything you can do to advance the information flow is good.

"Imagine someone caught in a hostage situation transmitting pictures or video.  It’s just an incredible amount of information that can be gathered from fairly simple technology."

I've written frequently about the use of camera phones for public safety and other security applications.  For example, in August 2006 I wrote about PowerPhone that offers a system for integrating camera phone photos into E911 systems. 

Perhaps that's one of the company's New York will consider for its camera phone initiative.

PowerPhone

Update:  When I was writing this article I didn't realize that PowerPhone has issued a press release proclaiming that it offers a system for integrating camera phone photos with E911 networks.  Strike while the iron -- or Bloomberg speech -- is hot!

CNET News wrote about PowerPhone in its article about New York's plan. The article says PowerPhone's camera phone module for its main emergency software package is used in several cities including Douglas County, Colo.; Seward, Alaska; Tolland County, Conn. and Dade County, Miss.

As CNET News reports, the procedure isn't a one-step process.  When a caller dials 911 and says he has a photo or video to send, he then has to hang up and wait for the 911 dispatcher to transmit an SMS asking for the image.

Callers cannot transmit an image while also speaking with the 911 operator.

$10,000 license

CNET News notes that PowerPhone camera phone module isn't inexpensive.  A license costs $10,000 so if an emergency center has four dispatchers, that cost is $40,000.

"At a time when many call centers are struggling to find enough money to upgrade their systems to handle enhanced 911 calls from cell phone callers, accepting video and photos may be low on their list of priorities," the article says. 

PowerPhone is trying to get grants from government and industry to help pay for its camera phone module.

Customer education

Update (2/2/07): I am quoted in an Associated Press article about the New York camera phone project and I was interviewed today by WCBS Radio in New York.  After speaking to WCBS I called back the reporter to emphasize the importance of customer education.

It's important for New York to post information about the procedures for transmitting camera phone photos for 911 and, eventually, 311 applications.  Consumers need easy-to-understand information about how to transmit camera phone images to the 911 system and what images are appropriate.

It also would be useful for New York to post screen shots of camera phone menus so users may see examples of transmitting photos to 911.  When you're in an emergency situation where you want to send a photo it's a lot better to know how to do it in advance.

When the city is ready to promote the 911 camera phone system, it also should publicize the exact URL of its Web site section that includes this type of information for consumers.

Comments

[Andrew Taub]

The camaera phone thing is a great idea.

Andy
http://www.teleco4.com