Presenter
Presented by Ms. McDonald
Title
Resolution authorizing the Director of City Information Systems to provide *69 call choice telephone service for all city telephone lines in order to provide city employees with the ability to determine the source of telephoned threats. The Director of Personnel is authorized to promulgate guidelines for *69 call choice use and, to disseminate information to all city employees proper procedures to employ in the event a telephone threat is made. And, furthermore to consult with the Pittsburgh Board of Education and the County of Allegheny on similar response telephoned threats.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Pittsburgh currently does not utilize the *69 call choice telephone feature that allows for a return telephone call back to the previous caller; and,
WHEREAS, during this time of serious and ongoing threats to the security of American citizens, guidelines for city employee responses to anonymous telephone should be devised and distributed in order to enhance our ability to counter actual threats or hoaxes.
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Pittsburgh as follows:
Section 1 Intent of Council
It is the intent of Council to insure that:
A. All city offices, in particular, all police, fire, emergency medical service and other emergency response personnel have access to the *69 call choice telephone feature in order to enhance the ability to determine the source of telephone messages of a threatening nature.
B. Employees of the City of Pittsburgh are fully informed of proper procedures to be utilized in the event that telephoned threats are received.
C. Promote uniformity of response to telephone threats by other local governmental units
D. Serve notice upon those persons making telephoned threats that such calls can and will be sourced and persons engaging in such activity will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Section 2 *69 Call Choice Telephone Service Access
Currently, the City of Pittsburgh, through its Department of Computer Information Services, can regulate the city's access to various telephone service enhancements. The city telephone phone lines presently do not allow for access to the *69 call choice feature. Therefore, the Director of City Information Systems is authorized and directed to provide *69 call choice telephone service for all city telephone lines in order to provide city employees with the ability to determine the source of telephoned threats. Furthermore police fire and EMS are to be given caller ID service.
Section 3 Procedures in Event of Telephone Threats
The Director of the Department of Personnel is authorized directed to promulgate and disseminate procedures for use by all city employees the event that a telephone threat is received.
Section 4 Intergovernmental Policy
The Council requests that the appropriate city officials consult with the Pittsburgh Board of Education and the County of Allegheny in order to promote similar efforts within these organizations and insure that that there is uniformity in response instructions for employees of these governmental entities as well.