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Sheriff's office heads program to distribute free emergency cell phones

Briefly 12/30

By the Salina Journal

A new program to distribute free, 911-access-only cell phones to at-risk people was announced Tuesday by the Saline County Sheriff's Office.

The sheriff's office will administer the program in partnership with Secure the Call, a national nonprofit that collects and distributes cell phones through a network of community partners in 40 states.

Secure the Call takes donated cell phones, purges them of all personal data, cleans and charges them, and then packages them with a charger and instructions, according to Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski.

"They're all ready to give out when we get them," Kochanowski said in a written statement. "While they no longer have a carrier and can't be used to place normal calls, they are able to access our emergency 911 service."

About two-thirds of refurbished cell phones will go to senior citizens or domestic violence victims who might temporarily be without a cell phone. The sheriff's office will collect donated phones at 251 N. 10th.

There is no cost to the sheriff's office, Kochanowski said. Secure the Call absorbs all costs of refurbishing phones through private donations and volunteer services.

Area residents in need of a free emergency phone can call the sheriff's office at 826-6500. Donors also can download a tax deductible donation receipt from Secure the Call's Web site at www.securethe call.org.

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