MEDIA RELEASE

A bill that will require cell phone or communication service providers to assist law enforcement agencies in determining the location of a cell phone in emergency situations is making its way to the Governor Abercrombie’s desk.

The Senate passed the measure on final reading this week.

The public benefits by the improved capability of public safety agencies to obtain vital information quickly from cell phone providers when time is a factor in responding to an emergency or preventing death or serious bodily injury.

This is a major public safety measure for this session, especially when it comes to a matter of life or death,” said Sen. Will Espero, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Safety, Government Affairs and Military Affairs. “We want to prevent an incident similar to what happened to Kelsey Smith from happening here. Safeguards are in place to make certain the law is not abused.”

Kelsey Smith was an 18-year-old Kansas woman who was kidnapped, raped and murdered in 2007. Police detectives reportedly found her body because a cell phone ping identified the area Smith was kidnapped and as a result, a number of search areas were determined.

It is believed that if Verizon Wireless had turned over cell phone records on the day Smith was kidnapped, rather than sticking to its privacy policy, Smith may be alive today.

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