Sheriff Bobby McCallum tells Levy County Commissioners about the second hacker attack on his non-emergency phones. Commissioners in the photo are Chairman Matt Brooks and Commissioners John Meeks and Mike Joyner.

By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter

                Responding to a Sunday hacker attack on sheriff’s office non-emergency phone lines, the second since July, the Levy County Commission Tuesday voted to purchase the agency a $164,000 voice over internet phone system (VOIP).

            The sheriff’s office will also use the money to hire Secure Logics to install phone line protection equipment. The company can monitor the sheriff’s office lines and move in quickly to block the anonymous hackers from taking over phones.

            “There was no voice, no talking this time, just taking over. The phone would ring, answer, then the phone would ring then, the next one would ring, so none of the public could get in and call in and out,” Sheriff Bobby McCallum said in an interview after the board meeting.

             McCallum said the current sheriff’s office phone system is at least 25 years old. Parts for the antiquated phone system are difficult to find. The system needs replacement.

            Soon after the county commission gave approval for the money, McCallum said his staff began placing orders to have the equipment delivered and installed.

            “We had a few weeks without it. We hoped they were through picking on us. Broward County was actually getting our phone calls (this time). They were being interfered with,” McCallum said.

            Nothing is foolproof with technology, but McCallum said he believes the combination of switching to a VOIP system and employing a security company to block phone attacks should help quite a bit.

            “AT&T, the state, everyone needs to take a heavy look at this and the feds; they’re trying to attack the 911 lines now. It’s probably subversive groups outside our country trying to see what they can do, what they can accomplish for whatever purpose they have,” he said.

            The sheriff’s office 911 lines haven’t been hit by the hackers.

            The sheriff said his office’s only defense was to shut down the non-emergency lines and wait to see how long it would take before the hackers hit again. He said they usually held off for a while, but he said it was clear they had no plans to leave the sheriff’s office alone permanently.

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Board of County Commission Regular Meeting October 6, 2020; Posted October 6, 2020