Applicable To: Communications  Personnel

Approval Authority:  Major Darryl K. Tolleson

Signature:  Signed by DKT

Date Signed:  11/1/2004

1.                PURPOSE 

                  The purpose of this section command memorandum is to establish procedures for recording and documenting all calls for service that is received by the airport communications center. 

2.                POLICY 

                  It is the policy of the Atlanta Police Department Airport Section that all calls for service be answered and responded to in a timely manner 

3.                RESPONSIBILITIES 

3.1              It is the responsibility of each watch commander to ensure that all personnel, assigned to work in the airport communications center, comply with the procedures established in this section command memorandum.  

3.2              It is the responsibility of the Communications Supervisor to submit to his/her watch commander a completed “Airport Call Incident Report” on each call that the response time is longer than six minutes and/or any call that is not dispatched.  This report will give all details of the call with an explanation for the long response time or non-dispatch. 

3.3              It is the responsibility of the individual working in the airport communications center to immediately record any call received in the center into the CAD whether the call is dispatched or not.  

3.4              It is the responsibility of all individuals working in the airport communications center to sign in on the CAD and to immediately check the CAD for pending calls.

3.5              It is the responsibility of the individual working in the airport communications center to immediately report to his/her supervisor any call that the response time is longer than six minutes. 

4.                ACTION 

4.1              All calls received in the airport communications center will immediately be entered into the CAD.  This includes all calls received by any means: telephone, radio, teletype, etc.  All actions taken in reference to the call will be entered into the comment’s field on the CFS screen. 

4.2              All calls for service will immediately be dispatched.  No call will be held for the oncoming watch.  Should a call for service require an excessive amount of time, the dispatched officer will notify his/her supervisor.  The supervisor may attempt to make arrangements for a relief officer. 

4.3              The average response time for an airport unit to respond to a call at the airport is approximately six (6) minutes. 

4.4              Anytime a response time is longer than (6) minutes, an Airport Call Incident Report will be completed by the communications dispatcher who received the call.  The Airport Call Incident Report will detail the date, time, location of call, type of call, the caller’s name, caller’s phone number, caller’s agency, officer who received the call, CFS number and an explanation detailing why the unit did not arrive on the scene within six (6) minutes. 

4.5              An Airport Call Incident Report will be completed, by the communications dispatcher who received the call, on any call that is not dispatched.  These types of calls include: transfers to other agencies or departments, calls transferred to teleserve, calls that are handled by the dispatcher over the phone, etc.  The Airport Call Incident Report will detail the date, time, location of call, type of call, the caller’s name, caller’s phone number, caller’s agency, officer who received the call, CFS number and an explanation detailing why a unit was not dispatched. 

4.6              Dispatchers will complete an Airport Call Incident Report on any call that is not dispatched within one minute. The Airport Call Incident Report will detail the date, time, location of call, type of call, the caller’s name, caller’s phone number, caller’s agency, officer who received the call, CFS number and an explanation detailing why there was a delay in dispatching the call.   

4.7              Watch commanders will submit completed Airport Call Incident Reports to the section commander’s officer within 48 hours of the reported incident.  If necessary the watch commander will attach a memo detailing any actions taken to correct found deficiencies.   

5.                DEFINITIONS 

6.1              CAD: Computer Aided Dispatch, computers located in the communications center where calls for service are recorded by dispatchers. 

5.2              CFS: Call For Service- a windows screen on the CAD where calls for service are recorded by dispatchers. 

5.3              CFS NUMBER: a unique number assigned by the CAD that identifies each CFS. 

6.                CANCELLATION  

                  AS.CM.03.006, “Documenting Calls for Service and Response Times.”
 

7.                REFERENCES 

                  N/A