Police to get new 911 recording system

By Randy Bell

Clinton Police Chief Ford Hayman says it’s important for the department to have a reliable audio record of emergency phone calls. But he says the recording system the Clinton Police Department has been using needed to be replaced.

“It’s just old and outdated,” Hayman says. “The equipment is not up to par anymore. It’s still functional, but, moving forward, we’ve got to get a little better system.”

The chief told the Board of Aldermen at the September 15 meeting that the quality of the equipment wasn’t the only problem with the current provider.

According to Hayman, “We’re getting zero customer support, technology or anything from them. And now, they’ve raised their rates.”

The Board approved the chief’s request for a five-year contract with a new company, Equature, to provide recording services for phone calls to 911 and police administrative numbers, as well as police radio traffic. The City will pay $7,231 annually.

The company says its system includes “advanced recording and incident replay, [and] artificial intelligence-driven analytics, such as automated transcription and call summarization.” There’s even an AI-powered voice assistant to help manage routine, non-emergency calls, “capturing relevant information and delivering consistent, accurate responses, allowing staff to remain focused on higher-priority interactions.”

Hayman says no decision has been made on whether to use the “Smart Agent” capability. He wants to learn more about the technology first.

In terms of customer service, Equature promises that a U.S.-based team will be available 24/7, 365 days a year.

The chief says the new recording system will help to ensure transparency as the department interacts with the public on the phone.

“We want to know exactly what was said, and, if we’re ever questioned about it, we have that [recording].” All calls will be saved for five years.