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COMMUNICATIONS
& RECORDS DIVISIONS
DEPARTMENT
SERVICES » COMMUNICATIONS
AND RECORDS
COMMUNICATIONS
DIVISION
The
Police Department maintains a Communications Center 24
hours a day. The
Communications Officer working is responsible for
dispatching police personnel.
Various computers provide police personnel with
information and link Deerfield with other law enforcement
agencies throughout the state and country.
The Communications Center is equipped with a
telephone teleprinter to allow residents with a hearing
impairment to communicate with dispatchers.
RECORDS
DIVISION
The
Records Division is responsible for coordinating,
distributing, and retaining all police documents.
The division processes all citations, reports, warrants,
and paper work for the department. The records
section is responsible for mailing out copies of accident
reports, citations, and sorting out department mail.
During normal business hours the Records Division handles
walk in traffic.
CALLING
911
To obtain the best possible
police response, you should be prepared to efficiently
report all crime and suspicious activity to the police.
Some situations warrant using the 9-1-1 emergency number
while others should be phoned in to the 24 hour
non-emergency line. The following guidelines are offered
to assist you in determining which number to use:
CALL 9-1-1 for:
- All medical
emergencies.
- Reporting a
fire.
- Reporting a
Police emergency such as:
- Any crime in progress
that you are aware of or observing.
- A crime that has just
been committed against you or one that you just
witnessed. For example, you have just had your purse
snatched and the suspect and/or vehicle description
may help the police make an apprehension.
The 9-1-1 number can be
dialed from any telephone and will go directly to the
Deerfield Police Department. The telephone and address
from the location you're calling from is automatically
displayed on a computer screen when your call is answered.
You can also call 9-1-1 from any coin operated telephone
without depositing money.
In order for the police to
respond quickly to an emergency, let the dispatcher take
command of the conversation. He or she will ask you a
series of questions to learn exactly what is taking place.
Depending on the type of call, the dispatcher will ask:
- What happened?
- Where it happened ?
- Your name, phone number
and location.
- Suspect(s) description.
- Weapon, if any.
- Vehicle, if any, and its
direction of travel.
- Identifiable features of
house or building .
- Pet(s) on premises, if
any .
- Injuries, if any.
Speak as clearly and as
calmly as you can. In an emergency, another dispatcher
broadcasts the information by radio while you're still on
the line. Each question that you're asked is designed to
add a piece to the "picture" so that arriving
officers can take precautions for what may be a dangerous
situation. The more complete the picture, the quicker and
safer the outcome will be for all concerned. |
