Issue link: https://let.epubxp.com/i/254119
34 Law Enforcement Technology February 2014 www.officer.com COMMUNICATIONS English language. Many of us are famil- iar with Internet slang, or cyber-jargon terms such as LOL, IMHO and ROFL, but what about TIA, RBTL and DGT? The language of texting is not one that everyone speaks, and there isn't a lan- guage course that can be taken so that a 911 operator can keep up on the latest editions. Imagine some of our seasoned operators attempting to decipher a text to 911 with 90 percent cyber-jargon. He or she would have to send it to another, younger dispatcher or officer as an interpreter. This could definitely cause problems. Again, maybe technol- ogy could figure out a way to auto cor- rect Internet slang into layman's terms when it goes to 911. The other major part of language is the alarming inabil- ity to actually use the English language. Now I'm not going to comment on those who for whatever reason do not have a grasp on the language because of ethnicity, culture or primary language (although those could have their own problems) but mainly the horrific lack of spelling ability in much of our young population. Just because you have a smart phone does not mean that you passed 9th grade English. In all honesty, I think it is sad how some people can't spell. But on the other hand, I don't want to spend several minutes trying to decipher three sentences that could be standing in the way of someone living or dying. I know this sounds extreme, but these are the things I wonder about as we move forward with so many changes to the way we run our business. Text to 911 will be a powerful tool. So many situations have occurred where this technology would have been an asset not only to the citizen, but also to the police. I'm an advocate of public safety getting back in front of commer- cial technology, especially since right now we have slipped so far behind. On the other hand, I read more and more about how texting has stilted our ability to communicate with each other and know firsthand how the written word can sometimes be received much differently than the sender intended. ■ Michelle Perin has been a freelance writer since 2000. In December 2010, she earned her Master's degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice from Indiana State University. See what night vision doesn't see. 6298 pr-infrared.com • 800-722-8078 A DIVISION OF P&R; TECHNOLOGIES, INC WHAT THERMAL IMAGING SEES WHAT YOUR EYE SEES SEE CLEARLY IN TOTAL DARKNESS FLIR LS-Series Thermal Monocular New! LS32 (336x256) just $3,999 LS64 (640x512) just $5,999 Detect suspect up to 1,000 yards One handed operation Tactical laser marker Rugged, hardened, submersible Circle 25 on Reader Service Card In all seriousness, someone needs to fnd a way to automatically turn off auto correct when dialing 911. LET_32-34_TextTroubles0214.indd 34 1/24/14 12:30 PM