The Communications Center is responsible for one of the most important services provided by the Vernon Police Department. It is the link between the public and the Police Department. Vernon's public safety dispatchers are responsible for answering E911, emergency, internal lines and business lines. The Communications center dispatch personnel are trained to handle varied police related calls.

The Communications Center is equipped with a state of the art Vision Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. The CAD system is linked to the E911 system, Records Management System (RMS) and the mobile computer units (MCTs) mounted in each of the patrol units. This configuration allows for the efficient flow of information, resulting in reduced response times and allowing critical information to reach officers in the field as quickly as possible. The CAD system is also linked to local, state and federal databases, allowing for access to a variety of information for officers assigned to patrol functions.

The Department's E911 upgraded system provides the businesses and citizens of Vernon with the most responsive system available. The Vesta E911 system delivers E911 calls, emergency calls and business calls to all three dispatch positions. Each call is recorded and instantly replayed if needed. The E911 system automatically provides information to the CAD, reducing the amount of information that must be entered before officers can be sent to a call. To ensure continuity of operations, the Police Department also has a back-up Communications Center located in another sector of the City.

The Communications Center also houses the Department's Reverse 911 Community Notification System. This system is used to send messages out to the community regarding such topics as road closures, crime bulletins, crime prevention tips and others. This system is available to and is used by the other City Departments as well. Information is provided in voice, email and fax form in order to reach as many community members as possible.

Police dispatching is a fast-paced job. It requires strong decision making and excellent public relations skills. We are committed to providing the best customer service possible. Our highly trained dispatchers using cutting-edge technology allow the Police Department to provide excellent service to the business community.

All calls received by the Communications Center are entered into the computer and prioritized dependent on the nature of the call.

It is extremely important that you give the dispatcher as much information as you possibly can. Examples of what you may need to tell the dispatcher are:

Crimes in Progress
Location, type of crime, description/number of suspects, suspect vehicle information (including the license plate number if you can get it), weapons observed, last known direction of travel

Accidents/Injuries
Location, number of injured, type of injuries, medical treatment being given

Disturbances
Location, type of disturbance (verbal, loud party, barking dog).

Prowler
Location, what heard

Report of a Cold Crimes (crime already committed)
Location, type of crime, suspect information (if known)