Spark in non-emergencies

As technology continues to change, so, too, does the way to report non-emergency crimes to local law enforcement.

Last week the Rice Steele 911 Center based in Owatonna rolled out Spark, a cutting-edge online reporting tool designed to streamline the process of reporting non-emergency incidents. It will replace citizens having to pick up the phone to call 911 or the local non-emergency number for police and fire.

“This tool will enable citizens to easily and securely report issues such as thefts, vandalism, parking complaints and other non-urgent matters directly through our website,” said Brian Becker, administrator of the 911 Center. He noted that the change enhances the center’s efficiency and effectiveness in addressing community concerns and creating a better experience for both citizens and 911 telecommunicators.

Some other examples of what can be reported through Spark are noise complaints, fireworks, burn permits, traffic complaints, suspicious activity, repossession, abandoned property, identify theft and minor fraud.

The process, Becker said, ensures immediate action by dispatch, enabling timely provision of information and deployment of first responders as necessary.

“This service is intended solely for non-emergency incidents,” Becker stressed.

There are several key features of Spark, according to Becker. Among them is when requests are entered into the center’s CAD system, Spark eliminates the need to log into a separate application to view the information that telecommunicators need to make decisions.

Spark uses industry standard shapefile lookups to determine jurisdiction and can accept other available GIS files for experience customization.

Becker said Spark leverages the user’s settings to dynamically translate and render in their native language. Submissions are then translated to the Center’s primary language prior to entry in the CAD system.

The new technology is built in the cloud and is available from any device, including desktop, tablet or smartphone. Feature updates and bug fixes are provided regularly.

The online reporting tool through Spark is easy to use as it will ask users to acknowledge that there is no life-or-death emergency. It will also request location, name, phone number and a brief narrative of what’s going on.

To explore the new platform, go to https://spark.backingfire.com/ricesteele.

“As technology evolves, we must improve and adapt our processes to help residents and visitors report situations to the public safety agencies we serve,” said Becker. “We are excited about the benefits this new technology brings to our telecommunicators and citizens.”

The center, which has been serving the area for 24 years, handles calls for police, fire and EMS in Steele and Rice counties. In 2023, the Center had a total of 116,237 emergency and non-emergency phone calls. Owatonna Police generates the most calls for the center.