Jackson Free Press

Hinds County emergency responders may have to wait another six months before technology that traces the location of cell phone 911 calls is available. Gaps in communication are to blame for the county's delay in implementing the technology, Blake Wallace, executive director of the county's Economic Development District, told the county Board of Supervisors today.

"It kind of got lost in the shuffle of some folks," Wallace said.

Wallace presented the board with contracts for the technology--known as Enhanced 911, E-911 or Phase II 911--which the board approved with a unanimous vote.

Wallace's report to the board followed a Nov. 11 story by WLBT-TV, which drew attention to the delays. Emergency responders in Madison and Rankin counties have Phase II 911, which uses GPS to trace a caller's precise location, WLBT reported. Hinds County's E-911 Council has funds to pay for the new technology, which it raised through a monthly tax on phone bills. Neither Board President Robert Graham nor Emergency Operations Director Jimmie Lewis provided WLBT with an explanation for the delays, with both blaming the other party.

At today's meeting, Graham appeared surprised that Wallace, not Lewis, was responsible for the county's upgrade to Phase II.

"So we've gone from a public safety issue to one being handled by Economic Development?" Graham asked.

Wallace explained that the county needed to synchronize its geographic information systems databases before it could begin using Phase II 911. The Economic Development District maintains the county's GIS databases, and needs to add updated street and building information before installing the new technology.

Wallace presented the board with contracts for AT&T and InterAct Public Safety Systems to complete the installation. The county will pay InterAct $25,625 to handle synchronization of its GIS databases, while AT&T will receive $10,300 for final installation. Wallace said that the county also needs to contract Madison-based The Geospatial Group to prepare the county's data to send to InterAct. He hopes to have that contract ready for the board at its Dec. 20 meeting, he said.

AT&T's contract was significantly less expensive than a previous $130,000 offer, which had required that the county synchronize its databases itself. Wallace said he was unsure when AT&T submitted its revised proposal but that the county administrator's office had probably received it more than two months ago.

The board hired current County Administrator Carmen Davis on Sept. 7.