Calvert board adopt three 911 public safety ordinances

Policies calling for proactive measures to ensure public safety found unanimous approval from the Calvert County commissioners on Tuesday.

The three ordinances passed include granting the department of public safety local enforcement authority for Kari’s Law.

According to a memo to the commissioners from Stanley Harris, communications chief for the department of public safety, the federal law was enacted in 2018, five years after Kari Hunt was killed in a hotel room by her estranged husband.

“Hunt’s daughter attempted to dial 911 four times without success, as she was unaware that the hotel telephone system required dialing an additional access digit to reach an outside line,” Harris said.

The new ordinance gives local public safety enforcement authority, empowering it to conduct 911 access verification tests and establish penalties for noncompliance at local hotels and other businesses.

A second ordinance gives the department authority to “define certain aspects for reliable public safety radio system coverage” and keep building owners in compliance with national fire safety codes.

Harris said in a memo that Calvert “operates an 800 MHz digital trunked public safety radio system for first responders’ communications within the county, while Maryland operates a statewide 700 MHz digital trunked public safety radio system.”

Modern building design and construction techniques, Harris said, “can hinder reliable two-way radio coverage for first responders inside buildings.”

The third ordinance approved is expected to bolster 911 trust fund revenues by raising the state-mandated surcharge to $2.

Harris stated the change “has the potential to double the funds collected from eligible subscribers to approximately $2,094,570” annually.

“The county portion of the 911 surcharge supports various aspects of the 911 operating budget, including employee salaries, training, technological enhancements and other operational costs,” Harris said.

One public comment was received from Joseph Cormier of Owings, who said “911 is important” and the three ordinances passed will give county officials an opportunity to “educate our employers.”