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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With David Koon

Aired July 06, 2003 - 07:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: When you call 911 for help police know where the call is coming from, unless you're calling from a cell phone. But now, some cities are using technology to zero in on the location of a cell phone caller. CNN's Kathleen Koch has more on the effort to save lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It zooms right to the call, and it zooms right to the map.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Alexandria, Virginia, using sophisticated position technology to pinpoint emergency cell phone calls to within about 300 yards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's calling from this building here, and it puts it within the 300 meters. She's just right across the creek.

KOCH: The lifesaving technology wasn't available in 1993 when 18-year-old college student Jennifer Koon, was abducted in Pittsburgh, New York and called 911.

KIMBERLY BELL, 911 OPERATOR: She kept saying, please. She kept saying she was hurt. She kept saying help me.

KOCH: Jennifer was found shot to death in her car hours later. Her father now a New York state assemblyman, is lobbying to spread the new technology nationwide.

DAVID KOON, VICTIM'S FATHER: Unfortunately, with Jenny and with so many other people that have lost their lives in this country, people who cannot tell the dispatcher where they're located exactly, have no chance.

KOCH: The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that 95 percent of all cell phones have the capability to be traced by 2005. But finding the money and cell phone industry cooperation has been difficult.

MICHAEL POWELL, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL COMM. COMMISSION: The different technologies just have different characteristics, different challenges associated with deploying them. And candidly, companies have had different levels of commitment.

KOCH: State support, too, has been mixed. SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: It just hasn't gotten done. Some states, like our own state of New York, has diverted money that cell phones users have paid for more than a decade, away from the purpose, which is to establish a universal e-911 system.

KOCH: More than $300 million in cell phone surcharges in New York state alone, so Clinton is sponsoring legislation to force states to spend the money on the new 911 technology. Alexandria's police point out the system can be phased in as departments make regular equipment updates.

DEPUTY CHIEF DAVID BAKER, ALEXANDRIA, VA. POLICE: So, it is costly, but it is not as costly as one would think, because you don't buy it separately. It's an upgrade.

KOCH (on camera): The FCC says 30 to 50 percent of all 911 calls come from wireless phones. Still, some worry that tracing technology could potentially invade people's privacy by allowing their every move to be tracked.

(voice over): But police say that risk is outweighed by the lives that could be saved by speeding emergency responders to accidents, crime scenes and other disasters.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN: Well, for more on these efforts to track 911 calls from cell phones, we are joined by New York Assemblyman David Koon, who you just heard from in that report from Kathleen Koch. Koon's daughter was found dead after her frantic cell phone call to 911. He's here to tell us more about the efforts underway to get the new technology put in place across the country.

We should point out we contacted the cell phone industry, but they declined to send a representative.

Good morning, and welcome, Mr. Koon. Of course, on a circumstance that is quite understandably quite close to home.

DAVID KOON, NY STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Good morning, Kris. It's nice to talk with you.

OSBORN: Very much so.

Let's just start with, in a general sense, your efforts. Of course, we heard the report. What kinds of obstacles are you facing?

KOON: Well, we're facing huge obstacles, mainly with our governor of New York State. Just this year we had a piece of legislation in the budget for $100 million, for e-911. And the governor vetoed it, has he has bills in the past for e-911.

But this year, we were lucky, we got the senate and the assembly to come together and override veto. So the $100 million is there. We're just trying to get the governor, now, to release the money, so that we can start upgrading PSAPs (ph) across this state of New York.

OSBORN: And part of the hurdle, as I understand, Mr. Koon, is to get local cell phone companies to install the new technology, correct?

KOON: Well, it is not so much the companies. We have not had a lot of difficulty with companies, getting the money for the PSAPs, the Public Safety Answering Points, in each of the counties -- the actual vendors, the wireless vendors, do not have to do anything until the PSAP is ready to receive the information.

Once the PSAP has the hardware and software in place, then they make the request of the wireless vendor to upgrade their system, which they have about six months in order to get that information delivered to the PSAP so that the location can take place.

OSBORN: It is also somewhat self evident that technology of this kind, used in a more widespread fashion has significant national security implications, as well.

KOON: Well, a lot of people say that. You know, I just upgraded my own cell phone to have the GPS chip, or the global positioning satellite chip, put in my phone. And there is a technology in the phone itself -- that you can only be located if you call 911, or if you want to be located on a regular basis, fulltime, you can set your phone to do that also.

So, it's up to you, how you want to be traced. If, you know, let's say I have a really bad heart or something, and I want to be traced all the time. I can set my phone so that if I come up missing, at least they can find me through my cell phone, if I want that. But it's up to me to choose that, not up to the locating system, to use it at all times.

OSBORN: Well, in that GPS chip, that you mentioned, raises an important point, an interesting one as well, Kathleen Koch brought up the issue in her report, that indeed this is the kind of technology that some fear could be misused.

KOON: Well, it could be, yes. And that' the key here, is to make sure that you're phone has the chip and make sure that you set your phone properly, however you want. In other words, if you set your phone to be located only if you call 911, that's the only time they can have the tracing capability.

OSBORN: And what about -- obviously you're loss was a significant one. I expect that had a big part in inspiring your involvement.

KOON: Oh, absolutely. You know, in 1993 the technology was not available at the time. And the dispatcher listened for 20 minutes on the phone as Jenny was driven to an alley and killed. But that dispatcher was so upset because the technology was not available and because all she could do was listen and she couldn't help. That she didn't stay on the job but a few months after that and had to leave because of the stress. OSBORN: Quite understandably. There is a lot of research on circumstances quite similar to that, where those in a dire circumstance had a cell phone, tried to dial 911, and did not have the technology to get the proper help, which in many cases could have saved lives.

KOON: Well, like I said in Jenny's case, you know, the technology was not available in '93, but within the last few months, the four boys down on Long Island, the young man in Philadelphia, there's been many cases that ended up in very tragic circumstances with many families grieving because the technology has not been put in place. Instead, even though it is available.

OSBORN: Now, what about the legislation being proposed and sponsored by Sen. Clinton, that was mentioned in the report as well. What are its prospects and how is it going with that?

KOON: Well, this is a bipartisan legislation that Sen. Conrad Burns, out of Montana, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, of New York, are sponsoring in the Senate and there is also bipartisan support in the House. We're hoping this legislation will move forward.

It does several things. It provides $500 million from federal government for states to upgrade their PSAPs. It also tells the states, if you're collecting the enhanced 911 surcharge, then you must use it for e-911, or you will not get other monies that the federal government provides to the states. So, there is a penalty there, if you don't spend the money properly. And I think that's going to be the key to getting these states to use the money properly, because New York has not done that.

OSBORN: Getting some of those incentives put in, New York Asseblyman David Koon, thank you very much for your time.

KOON: Thank you, Kris.

OSBORN: Appreciate talking to you.

KOON: No problem.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 6, 2003 - 07:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR: When you call 911 for help police know where the call is coming from, unless you're calling from a cell phone. But now, some cities are using technology to zero in on the location of a cell phone caller. CNN's Kathleen Koch has more on the effort to save lives.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It zooms right to the call, and it zooms right to the map.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Alexandria, Virginia, using sophisticated position technology to pinpoint emergency cell phone calls to within about 300 yards.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She's calling from this building here, and it puts it within the 300 meters. She's just right across the creek.

KOCH: The lifesaving technology wasn't available in 1993 when 18-year-old college student Jennifer Koon, was abducted in Pittsburgh, New York and called 911.

KIMBERLY BELL, 911 OPERATOR: She kept saying, please. She kept saying she was hurt. She kept saying help me.

KOCH: Jennifer was found shot to death in her car hours later. Her father now a New York state assemblyman, is lobbying to spread the new technology nationwide.

DAVID KOON, VICTIM'S FATHER: Unfortunately, with Jenny and with so many other people that have lost their lives in this country, people who cannot tell the dispatcher where they're located exactly, have no chance.

KOCH: The Federal Communications Commission has mandated that 95 percent of all cell phones have the capability to be traced by 2005. But finding the money and cell phone industry cooperation has been difficult.

MICHAEL POWELL, CHAIRMAN, FEDERAL COMM. COMMISSION: The different technologies just have different characteristics, different challenges associated with deploying them. And candidly, companies have had different levels of commitment.

KOCH: State support, too, has been mixed. SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: It just hasn't gotten done. Some states, like our own state of New York, has diverted money that cell phones users have paid for more than a decade, away from the purpose, which is to establish a universal e-911 system.

KOCH: More than $300 million in cell phone surcharges in New York state alone, so Clinton is sponsoring legislation to force states to spend the money on the new 911 technology. Alexandria's police point out the system can be phased in as departments make regular equipment updates.

DEPUTY CHIEF DAVID BAKER, ALEXANDRIA, VA. POLICE: So, it is costly, but it is not as costly as one would think, because you don't buy it separately. It's an upgrade.

KOCH (on camera): The FCC says 30 to 50 percent of all 911 calls come from wireless phones. Still, some worry that tracing technology could potentially invade people's privacy by allowing their every move to be tracked.

(voice over): But police say that risk is outweighed by the lives that could be saved by speeding emergency responders to accidents, crime scenes and other disasters.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

OSBORN: Well, for more on these efforts to track 911 calls from cell phones, we are joined by New York Assemblyman David Koon, who you just heard from in that report from Kathleen Koch. Koon's daughter was found dead after her frantic cell phone call to 911. He's here to tell us more about the efforts underway to get the new technology put in place across the country.

We should point out we contacted the cell phone industry, but they declined to send a representative.

Good morning, and welcome, Mr. Koon. Of course, on a circumstance that is quite understandably quite close to home.

DAVID KOON, NY STATE ASSEMBLYMAN: Good morning, Kris. It's nice to talk with you.

OSBORN: Very much so.

Let's just start with, in a general sense, your efforts. Of course, we heard the report. What kinds of obstacles are you facing?

KOON: Well, we're facing huge obstacles, mainly with our governor of New York State. Just this year we had a piece of legislation in the budget for $100 million, for e-911. And the governor vetoed it, has he has bills in the past for e-911.

But this year, we were lucky, we got the senate and the assembly to come together and override veto. So the $100 million is there. We're just trying to get the governor, now, to release the money, so that we can start upgrading PSAPs (ph) across this state of New York.

OSBORN: And part of the hurdle, as I understand, Mr. Koon, is to get local cell phone companies to install the new technology, correct?

KOON: Well, it is not so much the companies. We have not had a lot of difficulty with companies, getting the money for the PSAPs, the Public Safety Answering Points, in each of the counties -- the actual vendors, the wireless vendors, do not have to do anything until the PSAP is ready to receive the information.

Once the PSAP has the hardware and software in place, then they make the request of the wireless vendor to upgrade their system, which they have about six months in order to get that information delivered to the PSAP so that the location can take place.

OSBORN: It is also somewhat self evident that technology of this kind, used in a more widespread fashion has significant national security implications, as well.

KOON: Well, a lot of people say that. You know, I just upgraded my own cell phone to have the GPS chip, or the global positioning satellite chip, put in my phone. And there is a technology in the phone itself -- that you can only be located if you call 911, or if you want to be located on a regular basis, fulltime, you can set your phone to do that also.

So, it's up to you, how you want to be traced. If, you know, let's say I have a really bad heart or something, and I want to be traced all the time. I can set my phone so that if I come up missing, at least they can find me through my cell phone, if I want that. But it's up to me to choose that, not up to the locating system, to use it at all times.

OSBORN: Well, in that GPS chip, that you mentioned, raises an important point, an interesting one as well, Kathleen Koch brought up the issue in her report, that indeed this is the kind of technology that some fear could be misused.

KOON: Well, it could be, yes. And that' the key here, is to make sure that you're phone has the chip and make sure that you set your phone properly, however you want. In other words, if you set your phone to be located only if you call 911, that's the only time they can have the tracing capability.

OSBORN: And what about -- obviously you're loss was a significant one. I expect that had a big part in inspiring your involvement.

KOON: Oh, absolutely. You know, in 1993 the technology was not available at the time. And the dispatcher listened for 20 minutes on the phone as Jenny was driven to an alley and killed. But that dispatcher was so upset because the technology was not available and because all she could do was listen and she couldn't help. That she didn't stay on the job but a few months after that and had to leave because of the stress. OSBORN: Quite understandably. There is a lot of research on circumstances quite similar to that, where those in a dire circumstance had a cell phone, tried to dial 911, and did not have the technology to get the proper help, which in many cases could have saved lives.

KOON: Well, like I said in Jenny's case, you know, the technology was not available in '93, but within the last few months, the four boys down on Long Island, the young man in Philadelphia, there's been many cases that ended up in very tragic circumstances with many families grieving because the technology has not been put in place. Instead, even though it is available.

OSBORN: Now, what about the legislation being proposed and sponsored by Sen. Clinton, that was mentioned in the report as well. What are its prospects and how is it going with that?

KOON: Well, this is a bipartisan legislation that Sen. Conrad Burns, out of Montana, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, of New York, are sponsoring in the Senate and there is also bipartisan support in the House. We're hoping this legislation will move forward.

It does several things. It provides $500 million from federal government for states to upgrade their PSAPs. It also tells the states, if you're collecting the enhanced 911 surcharge, then you must use it for e-911, or you will not get other monies that the federal government provides to the states. So, there is a penalty there, if you don't spend the money properly. And I think that's going to be the key to getting these states to use the money properly, because New York has not done that.

OSBORN: Getting some of those incentives put in, New York Asseblyman David Koon, thank you very much for your time.

KOON: Thank you, Kris.

OSBORN: Appreciate talking to you.

KOON: No problem.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com