EDITORIAL: Callboxes an added layer of safety

Published 9:50 am Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Most of us rarely go anywhere these days without our cellphone. But in the event of an emergency away from home, it’s not always a guarantee that there will be phone service or battery life. The tragic murder of Athens nursing student Laken Riley earlier this year brought this conversation to the forefront of many college campuses, but what about other widely used public spaces away from campus?

While most everyone has a cellphone, local emergency callboxes would go a long way in establishing an extra layer of safety protection for both the college community and residents, particularly in downtown public spaces that see a high volume of foot traffic.

Emergency callboxes provide quick access to emergency personnel at the push of a button and are utilized in several cities. The city of Alpharetta installed eight emergency call boxes, utilizing solar power and cellphone towers, near its three city parks in 2018.

Callboxes have the advantage that their location is immediately known, while cellphone users in trouble do not necessarily know where they are.

A few locations that come to mind include the parking deck near the courthouse, the lot at the Mary Vinson Memorial Library and the lot behind the Hancock library branch. Two other excellent locations would be the Walter B. Williams Park and the Oconee River Greenway, which see a heavy volume of visitors in the evenings. Consider also that some people who frequent the Greenway don’t carry their cellphones with them near the water or while they are exercising.

The Georgia College & State University campus already has callboxes throughout campus, located in parking lots and heavily walked areas, according to the public safety page on the GCSU website.

Just the visibility of the call boxes alone could potentially deter some crimes. And if placed in strategic locations that have a lot of public usage, such as the Greenway, they could provide easy access. The boxes would also be an added link between the community and the police, helping to foster positive community relations.

Yes, there are drawbacks to consider. There’s the cost of purchasing the devices, plus the potential for prank calls and also vandalism. Then, too, they must be checked periodically to see if they are working. But what price are we willing to pay for added reassurance and public safety?

Even if the emergency call boxes aren’t used often, it would be nice to know that they are there in the event of an emergency, even if you never had to use one.

We urge city and county leaders to consider options and strategic locations for emergency call boxes in public spaces — for added safety, security and reassurance.