TELUS and Peel Regional Police Service team up to deliver innovative technology solutions to first responders

REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF PEEL, Ontario, Oct. 06, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peel Regional Police Service (PRP) and TELUS have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance 5G innovation and deploy technologies that will keep our communities safe. This association will support mission critical communications, protect the well-being of communities and connect first responders quickly and efficiently with members of the public in emergency situations. The two organizations will immediately begin their collaboration, with the goal of connecting individuals in crisis with virtual mental health services and equipping first responders with improved multimedia tools and real-time data, enabling them to better assess emergency situations and provide urgent support when every second matters.

As part of this agreement, PRP and TELUS will begin collaboration on the following pillars of innovation:

• Advancing connection to first responders: TELUS and PRP will collaborate on opportunities to leverage their joint network assets and ensure first responders are able to support members of the public in need of assistance - no matter what circumstances or crises arise. Through this work, first responders will have access to the most effective tools, resources and critical communications that they need to save lives and keep the communities they serve safe 24/7.
  
  
• Enhancing Next-Generation 9-1-1: TELUS and PRP will explore new innovative ways to leverage emerging technology, co-create new public safety applications, increase efficiencies and improve the tools that public safety personnel rely on to support the public during times of crisis. The goal of this work will be to reduce wait times, divert a greater number of non-emergency calls and increase the level of supportive resources for front-line public safety call takers and dispatchers.
  
  
• Mental health support for the community: With over 80 per cent of police calls for service being non-criminal in nature, this collaboration will allow PRP to leverage the best practices, technology and support of TELUS Health to help individuals in crisis and connect them quickly and efficiently with the mental health services they require. This innovation will also help support Peel Police and their Community Safety and Well-Being plan, of which mental health and addictions is a key priority area in the Region.
  

"Peel Police is incredibly excited to launch our collaboration, co-creation and innovative work with TELUS and better support our front-line personnel, citizens and community as a whole," said Nishan Duraiappah, Chief of Police, Peel Regional Police. "TELUS has demonstrated a consistent and genuine interest in our mission and we are eager to work together to achieve our shared goals, improve the tools that our officers and community partners use and ultimately improve citizen oriented outcomes within our Region."

"TELUS is committed to leveraging our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change. This partnership with Peel Regional Police is a perfect example of that commitment in action," said Ibrahim Gedeon, Chief Technology Officer, TELUS. "Between TELUS and its partners, we will be able to demonstrate the innovation that 5G can bring, working collaboratively to improve public safety and benefit the community overall."

"Peel Regional Police, Halton Regional Police, and our other innovation partners would also like to extend a warm welcome to TELUS on behalf of the Public Safety Broadband Network Innovation Alliance (PSBN Innovation Alliance). We look forward to leveraging our own public safety broadband network infrastructure and co-developing new technology and infrastructure applications that will enable reliable and resilient public safety communications across Canada," said Anthony Odoardi, Deputy Chief of Police, Peel Regional Police and Managing Director of the PSBN Innovation Alliance.

With PRP being the first police force to sign a partnership with the Ontario Human Rights Commission, and TELUS' ongoing dedication to community safety through activities such as the TELUS Community and Safety Wellness Accelerator powered by AlchemistX, and the rollout of Next-Generation 9-1-1 services in British Columbia and Alberta - this MOU and collaboration between the two parties is a step forward to advance public safety and create innovative solutions that will protect Canadian communities.

About Peel Police

Peel Regional Police is Canada's third largest municipal police service that serves a population of over 1.5 million Canadians and is heavily focused on being the most progressive, innovative, and inclusive police service in the Country. Peel Police has heavily focused on embracing change and supporting new ideas, such as signing Canada's only MOU with a Provincial Human Rights Commission to eliminate systemic racism in policing, creating one of Canada's first Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) plans, and being a founding member of the PSBN Innovation Alliance with Halton Regional Police. Peel's CSWB plan has three main priority areas of which PRP and the Region are trying to make tangible and positive impacts; Mental Health & Addictions; Decreasing Family Violence; and Eliminating Systemic Discrimination.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $17 billion in annual revenue and 17 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS' global-leading networks, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better.

Operating in 28 countries around the world, TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content moderation, for global and disruptive brands across high-growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media and eCommerce and fintech.

TELUS Health is a global healthcare company, which provides employee and family preventative healthcare and wellness solutions. Our TELUS team, along with our 100,000 health professionals, are leveraging the combination of TELUS' strong digital and data analytics capabilities with our unsurpassed client service to dramatically improve remedial, preventative and mental health outcomes for over 50 million people, and growing, around the world. As the largest provider of digital solutions and digital insights of its kind, TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods enables efficient and sustainable production from seed to store, helping improve the safety and quality of food and other goods in a way that is traceable to end consumers.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $900 million, in cash, in-kind contributions, time and programs, and 1.8 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let's make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For more information please contact:

Tatianna Goldsney
TELUS Media Relations
587-897-7430
[email protected]

Sgt. Jennifer Trimble
Peel Regional Police
905-453-2121, ext. 4030
[email protected]