What to do with that old cell phone you no longer use

Do you have an old cell phone collecting dust in a box? If so, please donate it to the Bluffton Police Department. Currently, Bluffton Police are partnering with a Maryland company, Secure the Call, that takes old phones and turns each into a life-saving tool for domestic violence victims and the elderly.

Secure the Call is a non-profit organization that wipes the donated phones and turns the phones into free 9-1-1 emergency access instruments.

Only 9-1-1 can be accessed from the phones and is intended for those who may need a tool that can dial 9-1-1 quickly and immediately.

A common question – how is the existing information cleared from the phones? First, all SIM chips are removed from the phones and shredded.

Second, the phone is hooked up to a machine that wipes out information electronically and digitally resets it to its original factory settings.

This program saved the life of a woman not too long ago. She was home alone in her house when her boyfriend, preparing to attack her, cut through her phone line to isolate her. He had trashed her cell phone the month before. Fortunately, she had obtained one of the Secure the Call 9-1-1 phones the previous week. She called, and the police quickly arrived, most likely saving her life.

“People have to remember, not everyone has a cell phone. That’s why programs like this are so vital. We are proud to partner with Secure the Call, and hope Bluffton citizens donate to the program,” said Bluffton Police Chief Chris Chapmond.

All cell phones will be accepted, with or without its charging cable. Please bring the phones to the Bluffton Police Department at 101 Progressive Street in Buckwalter Place and place in the Secure the Call barrel located in the lobby.


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