Applicable To: All Communications Employees

Approval Authority:  Major S. L. Saveage

Signature:  Signed by SLS

Date Signed:  8/18/2004

1.               PURPOSE

To establish guidelines and procedures for the Communications Personnel assigned to 911 to obtain and record information for criminal and non-criminal service or self-initiated activity.

2.               POLICY

The Communications Section Personnel assigned to 911 are responsible for obtaining complete and accurate information from citizens who are requesting police service.  Communications Personnel assigned to 911 will follow guidelines in the PSSI  (Public Safety System Inc.)  Training Manual and APD.SOP.6010.

3.               RESPONSIBILITIES

3.1              The Communications Section Personnel assigned to 911 are responsible for the effective exchange of information received from 911 for police services.  Every call received by a 911 operator will be appropriately handled in accordance with these procedures.

3.2              The Communications Supervisors will be responsible for monitoring their employees to ensure that they adhere to the procedures set forth.

4.               ACTION

4.1.1           When a call is received on 911 and the operator starts the call entry process, the operator will enter a call by either of the following methods:

1.    Depressing the enter button, will send the ANI (Automatic Number Identifier) and ALI (Automatic Number Identifier) information to CADS.

2.    Manually entering the information from the ANI or ALI to record the date, time, location, and phone number of the call. (CALEA 81.2.4.b).  The operator interviews the caller to determine the nature of the call, the caller’s name and phone number.  The operator will also verify the location where the service is needed.  The operator enters or confirms in CADS the following:

a.    The call type, based on the department’s signals in APD.SOP.6010, Section 5.2 (CALEA 81.2.4.d)

b.    The location (CALEA 81.2.4.e)

c.    The reporting person’s name, address, and phone number (CALEA 81.2.4.c)

d.    The priority

4.1.2           When this information is entered into CADS, the operator will press the enter button, CADS enters other fields for dispatch, including the incident number (a unique number made up of the year and Julian date) and an automatically generated 4-digit number (the number of incidents recorded into CADS) (CALEA 81.2.4.a)

4.1.3           CADS determine the zone and beat of the call location, based on the address.  The operator will send the call to the dispatcher by depressing the ‘F4’ key on the keyboard.

4.1.4           The dispatcher will then perform the dispatch process in CADS.  The dispatcher will refresh the pending queue on the workstation status monitor by depressing ‘F1’ (Next Call Key) to display the call.  The calls are listed in order of priority, with the highest priority at the top of the pending screen.  With a priority, calls are listed in the order received.

4.1.5           The ‘F1’ key displays the dispatch screen, including full details of the call and a recommended patrol officer for the call.  The dispatcher will review the information, select a patrol unit, verbally assign the call to that unit, and forward the call to the status monitor by depressing the’F5’ dispatch key.  CAD records the time of dispatch (CALEA 81.2.4.g).  If additional officers are needed, the dispatcher will select them and record them on CADS as backup units (CALEA 81.4.f).  When the first officer arrives on the scene, the officer will verbally notify the dispatcher by giving their unit number and stating ‘code 26’.  The dispatcher will then enter the unit number and ‘A’ into CADS.  CAD records the information and the status is shown on the status monitor (CALEA 81.2.4.h).

4.1.6           Upon completing the call, the officer will pull back in service with the appropriate code.  The dispatcher will acknowledge by repeating the transmission.  He or she will type in the patrol unit’s number, the letter ‘C’ and the pull-in code.  CAD records the information, along with the time (CALEA 81.2.4.i).  Throughout the time the call is active, its status is shown on the status monitor (CALEA 81.2.4.j)

4.1.8           When an officer initiates a call, he or she will notify the dispatcher, who will in turn enter the type and location of the call, and the patrol unit number.  CAD records this information, along with the date, time, and incident number.  The dispatcher will follow up with the disposition and time of return to service as in section 4.6.

4.1.9           When an officer or investigator needs an incident number for activity that is not related to a call for service, he or she will call Communications, and the operator will enter the self-initiated dispatch screen to generate in incident number to give to the officer or investigator.

5.               DEFINITIONS

5.1              ANI: Automatic Number Identifier- the telephone number that is displayed when the caller dials 911.

5.2              ALI: Automatic Location Identifier- the address that is displayed when the caller dials 911.

5.3              CADS: Computer Aided Dispatch System- The computer system which assists in identifying the beat in which a call occurs and records information on each call.

5.4              PSSI: Public Safety System Inc.

6.               CANCELLATIONS
 

N/A

7.               REFERENCES

APD.SOP.6010 "Communications"

PSSI MANUAL