OSUPD discusses enhanced 911 system
Monday, February 17, 2025
Media Contact: Shannon Rigsby | Associate Director of Public Information | 405-744-9081 | shannon.rigsby@okstate.edu
The Oklahoma State University Police Department recently implemented a new enhanced 911 system for the Stillwater campus.
This initiative has been launched as part of a new countywide system, which alerts OSUPD when a 911 call is made from campus. This includes campus landlines and cell phones. Calls in the area are made to the Stillwater Police Department or Payne County Sheriff’s Office based on cell tower triangulation.
“The new 911 system has brought a new level of emergency calling integration between the public safety agencies within Payne County, providing a unified platform by which they can more quickly and seamlessly handle emergency calls and coordinate resources for responding to emergencies in any part of the county, including the university,” said Ryan Frederick, OSU Enterprise IT Assistant Manager of Network and Telecommunications Services.
When a 911 call is placed on campus, it will be recorded and transferred to OSUPD. The new 911 digital capability can route information and location from an initial dispatch call to the Stillwater Police Department or Payne County Sheriff’s Office to OSUPD, saving valuable time for dispatchers to send responses to people in distress or need.
“We’ve gone digital for phone services countywide and the call management system,” said Travis Eastman, OSU emergency communications center supervisor. “That pairing allows us to provide next-generation 911 support anywhere in the county seamlessly. If Stillwater or the county gets a call and it’s for OSU, when they transfer the call, we receive all metadata behind the voice to pinpoint locations, including caller ID.”
This enhanced 911 system is up and running with few complications and great reviews. The new system’s audio is clear and has improved significantly over the previous system.
“From my vantage point, I believe the new system is working quite well,” Frederick said. “I greatly attribute this to the system being backed by a knowledgeable vendor that has provided upstanding support and assistance during the planning, deployment, and post-deployment phases.”
At a later date, the ability to text 911 will be in place. This system will be helpful for those who are unable to make a phone call or are more comfortable with the text ability. Until this system is implemented, OSUPD encourages students to utilize the Rave Guardian App.
Story By: Taylor Mabray | taylor.mabray@okstate.edu