Arkansas Schools Create Direct Line of Communication with Police

Arkansas Schools Create Direct Line of Communication with Police

Arkansas police and fire departments communicate through a statewide emergency radio system, and the city of Rogers is allowing its school district a designated line of its own to local police and fire.

School employees in Rogers, Ark., will soon have a direct line of communication with first responders in case of an emergency, thanks to technology that school officials and the Rogers Fire Department call the “first of its kind” in the state.

Arkansas police and fire departments communicate through a statewide emergency radio system, and the city of Rogers is allowing its school district a designated line of its own to local police and fire. The click of a button will connect school administrators, nurses and bus drivers to first responders.

"We would get to directed to that particular zone which would be Rogers Public Schools - and then they would be on the exact same channel and we would get to talk to them directly," said Captain Greg Bray of the Rogers Fire Department. 

The communication devices are “digital but look like a little radio,” Assistant Superintendent Charles Lee said. “It has different channels, what we call talk groups.”

According to Capt. Greg Bray, the devices are actually computers that can bypass the dispatcher and connect school employees to emergency services immediately.

"During the emergency, they would probably still call 9-1-1 but now they can speak with us directly first to ease the flow of communication," Capt. Bray said. 

Bray has worked as a fireman for decades, but said this communication line reflects the ways his role has shifted toward a focus on school security and safety.

"We want to take what may be happening elsewhere and learn from it and it could make our job a little easier when we are trying ot combat a whatever may come up," Capt. Bray said. 

The school district said it’s budgeted $350,000 for the new emergency line, which will be implemented when students return from winter holiday break in January 2019.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now