Policy Text
\n\n--- Page 1 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
TITLE ACCREDITATION
Communications Functions and CALEA 41.2.1.a.b.c
Radio Procedures
PRIOR REVISIONS
PROPONENT UNIT 12/01/98; 11/16/99; 04/29/08,
GPD CCC Liaison-Patrol Support 09/05/08, 04/14/20
Bureau
ATTACHMENT:
-Alachua County Sheriff’s
Office COB SOP 5.5- Law
Enforcement Call Prioritization/
Holding Calls for Service
NUMBER ISSUE DATE REVISION DATE TOTAL PAGES
81.1 07/01/1998 05/20/2021 23
I. PURPOSE: This Order describes the operational capabilities of, and support provided by, the
Combined Communications Center (CCC) and establishes regulations and procedures for
dispatch and radio operations.
II. POLICY: The Gainesville Police Department shall, utilize the Alachua County Combined
Communications Center, through an Interlocal agreement. The Combined Communications
Center has agreed to maintain the necessary resources and capabilities for the efficient and
effective receiving, processing, dispatching and responding to calls-for-service.
III. DEFINITIONS:
A. BOLO: Be On the Look Out.
B. CAD: Computer Aided Dispatch system.
C. CCC: Combined Communication Center, the Gainesville-Alachua County joint call taking
and dispatch entity.
D. CCC Dispatcher: Radio district dispatcher for the Combined Communication Center.
E. CJIS: The Gainesville Police Department Criminal Justice Information System.
F. Teleserve/ Front Desk Officer: A Department unit consisting of members who complete
police reports with information received from the complainant via the telephone or in
person at police headquarters.
G. District: A specific geographical area comprised of several patrol areas.
H. FCIC: Florida Crime Information Center.\n\n--- Page 2 ---\n\nGAINESVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
I. Field Unit: An on-duty member who works outside of police headquarters on a regular
basis (e.g., patrol officers, FSTs) or on an irregular basis (e.g., investigators, traffic unit).
This includes area units, but specifically excludes Special Investigations Division and
Internal Affairs Unit investigators and sworn and non-sworn administrative members.
J. HIT: An NCIC, FCIC, or CJIS response indicating possible wanted status of a person or
stolen status of property.
K. Hold/Holding: The authorized delay of dispatching a call for service.
L. NCIC: National Crime Information Center.
M. Patching: The combining of two or more talk groups on the 800 MHz police radio
system enabling personnel from different agencies or radio districts to communicate with
one another on the police radio.
N. Radio and Communications Liaison: The designee of the Patrol Support Bureau
Commander(s) will serve as the Department’s liaison to the Combined Communications
Center staff regarding relevant issues and problems. Any complaint by a Department
member regarding the Combined Communications Center shall be forwarded to such
designee.
O. Second Party Verification: A post-input query of a teletype entry into FCIC/NCIC to
ensure the entered information is complete, accurate, and valid, as mandated by FDLE.
P. District: The geographical division of the City of Gainesville representing the west and
east parts of the City.
Q. Talk Group: A specific “channel” on the 800 MHz police radio system used by members
to communicate with one another.
R. Zone: A geographical subdivision of a sector.
S. Zone Unit: An on-duty police officer assigned to a specific geographical area within a
sector.
IV. PROCEDURE:
GPD Liaison: The designee of the Patrol Support Commander will serve as the Department’s
liaison to the Combined Communications Center staff regarding relevant issues and
problems. Any complaint by a Department member regarding the Combined Communications
Center shall be forwarded to such designee.
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A. Reference Information: The CCC maintains the following information. Where applicable,
the GPD section that maintains and/or promulgates the relevant information shall provide
current listings to the CCC:
1. Maps detailing the service areas;
2. Contact information for emergency and support service agencies (such as fire, rescue,
medical examiner, public works, animal control, and tow trucks);
3. Law Enforcement Call Handling Guide
4. NOTE: Current duty rosters listing all on-duty personnel with their geographic and
vehicle assignments will be given on a daily basis by Operations Supervisors.
B. Calls for Service:
1. Calls Received at GPD: Department members who receive requests at the
Department for emergency public safety services will normally refer the call to the
Combined Communications Center for processing.
NOTE: Depending on the nature of the call and the workload at the Front Desk,
complaints received either by phone or in-person that fall under GPD jurisdiction may
be entered and/or handled by the Front Desk personnel, or referred to the
Communications Center for screening/routing.
i. Emergencies: Members receiving a report of an emergency (regardless of
jurisdiction) shall do everything possible to obtain the location, nature of the
complaint, the complainant’s name, and contact number before transferring the
call, in case the transfer is incomplete. Members shall then:
a Transfer the complainant to the CCC or other jurisdictional law enforcement
agency, as appropriate.
b Ensure that the transfer went through, and that the correct information was
relayed.
ii. Other Jurisdictions/Agencies: When receiving calls for service that do not fall
under the purview of the Gainesville Police Department, Department personnel
shall promptly direct or relay the information to the CCC or to the appropriate
agency responsible for the particular service.
2. Front Desk: Calls that meet certain criteria may be handled by telephone via Tel-
Serve (Front Desk).
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i. Criteria: Conditions indicating that a call may be appropriate for a telephone
response may include:
a Police presence is not required to maintain order,
b Crime scene that does not require protection or processing, in limited
circumstance, TelServe (Front Desk) may take the report and send a field unit
to the scene for processing,
c Low monetary loss,
d No immediate threat of violence (Anything related to domestic violence
requires a field unit response),
e No suspect on-scene and no suspect information, in limited circumstances,
TelServe (Front Desk) may take reports involving suspect information that do
not need additional follow-up or that can be follow-up on by a field unit or
detective.
f In limited circumstances, TelServe (Front Desk) may take reports requiring
follow-up that can be follow-up on by a field unit or detective,
g Information report only (e.g., for insurance purposes).
ii. Procedure:
a These calls may be received directly by TelServe (Front Desk), forwarded by
the Combined Communications Center according to criteria identified in the
Combined Communications Center Law Enforcement Call-Handling Guide, or
forwarded by another GPD member.
b If a member working a TelServe position determines that a call merits a field
response, the member shall refer the call back to Combined Communications
Center for dispatch after consulting with a Patrol supervisor.
c A patrol supervisor may direct a call for service to the front desk, regardless of
above criteria, if they believe it can be handled correctly by Tel-Serve
personnel.
C. Recording / Playback of Emergency Calls and Radio Transmissions: The Combined
Communication Center maintains a recording system that records telephone and radio
transmissions. The recording system also allows for immediate playback of emergency
telephone calls and primary radio transmissions.
1. Security: The Combined Communications Center maintains the recordings for at least
30 days.
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2. Review Criteria: A review of recordings shall be permitted for the purpose of training
or conducting a legitimate criminal or internal inves