ACTIVE ASSAILANT PROTOCOL FOR EMERGENCY DISPATCH

• US 20140211927A1
• Filed: 01/31/2013
• Published: 07/31/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey J. Clawson
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey J. Clawson
• Inventors: Clawson, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/493 Interactive information services, e.g. directory enquiries ; Arrangements therefor, e.g. interactive voice response [IVR] systems or voice portals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/5116 for emergency applications

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to guide an emergency dispatcher in responding to emergency calls involving an active assailant. The systems and methods can include an emergency police dispatch protocol configured to facilitate rapid, uniform, and consistent handling of events involving active assailants. The emergency police dispatch protocol includes one or more dispatch protocols configured for particular incidents or emergency situations, such as to aid the dispatcher in processing calls relating to active assailants. The emergency police dispatch protocol presents a pre-scripted interrogation, including preprogrammed inquiries for a dispatcher to ask the caller. The pre-scripted interrogation of the dispatch protocol facilitates rapid, uniform, and consistent responses to incidents with active assailants. The dispatch protocol may facilitate deployment of responders as quickly as possible to active assailant events and update responders with information as it is gathered.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to guide a dispatcher when communicating vocally with a caller via a communication device regarding an incident involving an active assailant and for dispatching an emergency dispatch response to the incident, the computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, on a dispatch center computer device, a pre-scripted interrogation comprising a plurality of preprogrammed inquiries for the dispatcher to ask the caller in order to systematically obtain a description of the incident involving the active assailant, wherein the description of the incident comprises caller responses to the plurality of preprogrammed inquiries, and wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include

asking what happened,

asking what type of weapons are involved,

asking whether the caller can safely evacuate/leave the building/area;

receiving, on the dispatch center computer device, dispatcher-entered input representative of caller responses to the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation;

determining automatically on the dispatch center computer device a determinant value from one of a plurality of pre-established determinant values based on dispatcher-entered input representative of caller responses to one or more of the preprogrammed inquires; and

generating an emergency dispatch response by emergency responders based on the determinant value.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein presenting a pre-scripted interrogation further comprises the dispatch center computer device traversing a path of a logic tree as the pre-scripted interrogation progresses, the logic tree configured to determine the preprogrammed inquiries to present as part of the pre-scripted interrogation based on caller responses to the preprogrammed inquiries.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing preprogrammed inquiries to the dispatcher via a user interface on an output device of the dispatch center computer device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing preprogrammed inquiries to the dispatcher on a medium readable by the dispatcher.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a determinant value includes determining whether a response to the preprogrammed inquiry asking what happened indicates an active assailant event.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include requesting a description of a suspect.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include requesting a description of a vehicle of the suspect.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing evacuation instructions in response to receiving an indication that the caller can evacuate/leave the building/area.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing lockdown instructions in response to receiving an indication that the caller cannot evacuate/leave the building/area.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising updating automatically on the dispatch center computer device the determinant value based on a response to the preprogrammed inquiry asking what type of weapons are involved.

12. The computer system of claim 10, wherein said preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation are according to a path along the logic tree that is traversed based on responses to the preprogrammed inquiries.

13. The computer system of claim 10, the memory further comprising a user interface that is displayed on the output device and configured to facilitate presentation of preprogrammed inquiries and to facilitate receiving dispatcher-entered input.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the protocol is configured to determine the determinant value by determining whether a response to the preprogrammed inquiry asking what happened indicates an incident involving an active assailant.

15. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include requesting a description of a suspect.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include requesting a description of a vehicle of the suspect.

17. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the protocol is configured to provide evacuation instructions in response to receiving an indication that the caller can evacuate/leave the building/area.

18. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the protocol is configured to provide lockdown instructions in response to receiving an indication that the caller cannot evacuate/leave the building/area.

19. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the protocol is configured to update automatically on the dispatch center computer device the determinant value based on a response to the preprogrammed inquiry asking what type of weapons are involved.

11. A computer system to guide a dispatcher when communicating with a caller vocally via a communication device regarding an incident involving an active assailant and for dispatching an emergency response to the incident, the computer system comprising:

a processor;

an output device in communication with the processor;

an input device in communication with the processor;

a memory in communication with the processor, the memory comprising;

a protocol comprising a logic tree that is configured to determine one of a plurality of pre-established determinant values, the protocol configured to

present on the output device a pre-scripted interrogation comprising a plurality of preprogrammed inquiries for the dispatcher to ask the caller in order to systematically obtain a description of the incident involving the active assailant, wherein the description of the incident comprises caller responses to the plurality of preprogrammed inquiries, and wherein the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include

asking what happened,

asking what type of weapons are involved,

asking whether the caller can safely evacuate/leave the building/area;

receive, via the input device, dispatcher-entered input corresponding to caller responses to the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation, and

determine automatically on the dispatch center computer device a determinant value from one of a plurality of pre-established determinant values based on dispatcher-entered input representative of caller responses to one or more of the preprogrammed inquires, wherein the determinant value specifies an appropriate emergency dispatch response.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable instruction code for a dispatch center computer to perform a method to assist a dispatcher when communicating vocally with a caller via a communication device regarding an incident involving an active assailant, the method comprising:

presenting on a dispatch center computer device a pre-scripted interrogation comprising a plurality of preprogrammed inquiries for the dispatcher to ask the caller to systematically obtain a description of the incident, the description of the incident comprising caller responses to the plurality of preprogrammed inquiries, wherein the dispatch center computer device includes a logic tree configured to determine the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation and automatically determine one of a plurality of pre-established determinant values based on dispatcher-entered input representative of caller responses to one or more of the preprogrammed inquires, and wherein the plurality of preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation include

asking what happened,

asking what type of weapons are involved,

asking whether the caller can safely evacuate/leave the building/area;

receiving dispatcher-entered input on the dispatch center computer device representative of caller responses to the preprogrammed inquiries of the pre-scripted interrogation;

assigning on the dispatch center computer device the pre-established determinant value determined by the logic tree and the pre-scripted interrogation; and

generating an emergency dispatch response based on the assigned pre-established determinant value.