SCHOOLS GET EMERGENCY LINK.Byline: Paul O'Donoghue Staff Writer MOORPARK - Cellular phones programmed to automatically call the Sheriff's Department were donated Wednesday to high schools in Moorpark and Camarillo as part of a $7 million emergency-access program. Under the Safeguard Our Schools program, the Governor's Office and Verizon Wireless Cellco Partnership, doing business as Verizon Wireless, owns and operates the second largest wireless telecommunications network in the United States, based on total wireless customers. are working to put 10,000 phones in 1,000 public schools statewide. The project was launched last year after a rash of campus violence, including the deaths of 15 people at Columbine High School Columbine High School is a secondary school in unincorporated Jefferson County, Colorado. The school is located at 6201 South Pierce Street, one mile west of the Littleton city limits and half a mile south of the Denver city/county line. in Littleton, Colo. ``We're thrilled to get them,'' said Anna Merriman, principal of 2,075-student Moorpark High School Moorpark High School, located in Moorpark, California, is a public high school in the Moorpark Unified School District and currently has an enrollment of 2,478 students.[1] , one of the recipients. ``Any resource we receive is an added benefit to our campus. I think there's a sense of comfort in knowing they're there. However, I hope they won't be used often, if at all. But we really appreciate the offer.'' Moorpark High received 10 cell phones, Moorpark Community High got five and several also were delivered to Camarillo, Gateway, Frontier and Phoenix High schools in Camarillo. In California, all 911 calls from cell phones are routed to the California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. , which redirects the calls to other agencies. However, the donated cell phones have been preprogrammed so the caller is immediately connected with the local law enforcement agency Noun 1. law enforcement agency - an agency responsible for insuring obedience to the laws FBI, Federal Bureau of Investigation - a federal law enforcement agency that is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Justice , saving precious time, said Deputy Marty Luna, who delivered the phones to the Moorpark schools. The phones are for use by administrators only in cases of emergency. About 8,000 phones have been distributed so far in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , Orange, San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. and Sacramento counties, said Andrew Colley, public relations public relations, activities and policies used to create public interest in a person, idea, product, institution, or business establishment. By its nature, public relations is devoted to serving particular interests by presenting them to the public in the most manager for Verizon Wireless, formerly AirTouch Cellular. And the program will extend to all public high schools in Ventura County and eventually will cover all 23 California counties previously served by AirTouch, officials said. ``We believe that wireless phones play a key role in getting help and getting it fast, and that's why we formed a public-private partnership Public-private partnership (PPP) describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies. These schemes are sometimes referred to as PPP or P3. with Gov. Davis aimed at enhancing the safety of California's public schools,'' said Colley. The number of phones for each school is based on enrollment, with larger schools each receiving 10 to 15 phones and small and midsize campuses each getting five. The donation includes a $109 Audiovox MVX-502 phone, a battery charger, carrying case and three years of service, valued at $200. Gabino Aguirre, principal of Moorpark Community High, which has 115 students, welcomed the donation. ``To know that we are linked directly with the police for me is very comforting, and we are hoping we never have to use them,'' said Aguirre. ``But it's also good to know we're covered if there's a threat to the safety of our students as well as our staff.'' CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Sheriff's Deputy Marty Luna delivers cellular phones to Moorpark High School. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News |
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