BUTLER COUNTY, Ohio — Lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse are continuing to listen to public testimony on the Safe and Reliable Texting Act, which would require specific technology that would ensure the texts Ohioans to send to dispatch are secure and encrypted.
The sponsor of the proposal says it could even benefit law enforcement in Ohio.
“I think a lot of people, especially younger people, are more comfortable with using the text message system,” said Jennifer Gillespie, a dispatcher at the Butler County Sheriff’s Office. “And, I think it’ll gain popularity as time goes on because people tend to prefer to send a message than actually talking to someone.”
Gillespie says her role as a dispatcher for the Butler County Sherriff’s Office is critical. Every day, she answers phone calls and text messages from people in need across the county. Then, she connects those individuals to people who can help them.
She said it is hard to guess just how busy she and the other dispatchers could be on a weekly basis. A proposal at the Statehouse is trying to introduce a more secure way of messaging, and texts are something she answers as part of her job.
The proposal would tighten texting and encryption policies and let those sending a text know when it has been read and receive a response. State Representative Haraz Ghanbari, R-Perrysburg, is a sponsor of the proposal.
He believes the state’s texting system is flawed and outdated.
When he spoke to lawmakers on committee regarding the proposal, he used the example of how law enforcement relies on high-quality texts, photos and videos. He said Ohio’s 911 text-only system operates on “SMS” or short message system and that upgrades could help dispatch services and law enforcement move to the next level.
“Imagine a dangerous situation where if it’s not safe to speak,” Ghanbari said. “If someone has been kidnapped, or if they are in an active shooter situation, an image or video may be the only things they can send. And those messages need work, and users need to know their messages are going through. Their lives depend on these text messages working properly.”
The bill has less to do with law enforcement, and more with how the technology communicates across platforms. But, regardless how information presents itself, Butler County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Manager Miranda Shepperd said both calls and texts have their benefits and disadvantages.
“We’re not always able to get all the information needed,” Shepperd said. “We can’t hear background noise, so we’re a little left in the dark when it comes to a text versus a phone call. We can pick up on some things that we didn’t necessarily, you can’t get in a text. The job is stressful with texting... But we do typically urge if you’re able to make the call to make that call. But, obviously if there’s that safety concern, then text is a great option.”
The proposal would require companies to provide transmission of photos, videos or other media in their original quality plus a real-time text notification when a person views the message, and a real-time notification when a person is sending the message and support for message transmission over internet protocol based-networks.
