Policy Text
Communications Page 1 of 3 4/01.0 (REV 10/98)
TELEPHONE ANSWERING
The purpose of this order is to d escribe the polic ies and proce dures relative to
answering telephones in the Communications Center.
I. General
Telephone calls received by the Communications Center shall be answered as
expeditiously as possible and in a professional and courteous m anner.
II. Classification of Telephone Calls
A. Emergency: Imminent life and de ath situation, crime in progr ess
B. Automatic Ring Down Line: A larm company, allied agency, inte r-
department connection.
C. 874-5128 and 874-6742: O fficer request lines.
D. Non-Emergency: Non-immediate threats against life, reports o f crimes,
information calls.
III. Priority for Answering Telephone Calls
A. 911 Emergency Line Calls: Answe red before all other calls an d within ten
seconds (three rings).
B. Seven-Digit Emergency Line ( 874-5111) Calls: Secondary to an
unanswered 911 line, but before all ring down and non-emergency calls.
C. Parkway Emergency Call Box es: Secondary to any unanswered 91 1 lines,
but before all ring down and non-emergency lines.
D. Automatic Ring Down Lines: A nswer after all emergency lines, and ahead
of all non-emergency calls.
E. Seven-Digit Officer Request Li nes: Answer before all other n on-
emergency lines, and after all ring down lines.
F. Non-Emergency Line Calls: Afte r all other calls, and answere d in the order
received.
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IV. Use of Incoming Telephone Lines
A. The 911 and seven-digit emer gency number lines shall be used for
emergency calls only. Once the cl assification of the call has b een
determined, the call will be handle d. If non-emergency, the cal ler will be
requested to dial the non-emergen cy number, transferred to a no n-
emergency line, or released.
B. Automatic ring down lines a re self-explanatory and will be a nswered
directly by complaint stations. Any call on these lines will be handled at the
time it is received.
C. Non-emergency lines shall be us ed for all calls except emerg encies.
D. When emergency calls are re ceived on the non-emergency lines , the call
shall be handled as soon as it is answered by complaint station s and
recognized as an em ergency situation.
E. When multiple calls regarding th e same situation are receive d they shall
be handled as new/separate calls i n the appropriate manner desc ribed
above. They shall not arbitrarily be terminated because a respo nse
already has been initiated. When known, the related event numbe r(s) shall
be included in the remarks section of the new event.
F. Communications personnel sha ll not give any legal advice or counseling.
Agency referral may be made when appropriate to do so.
G. Placing non-emergency callers on hold to answer pending 911/ emergency
lines: Employees shall be aler t to 911 and emergency lines that are not
being answered in a timely manner. Employees shall advise such non-
emergency callers, “Please hold for a 911 call”, and place the non-
emergency caller on hold and imm ediately answer the pending pri ority
line.
V. Answering Telephone Lines
A. 911 emergency lines shall be an swered, “911. What is your em ergency?”
B. Seven-digit emergency lines s hall be answered, “Sheriff’s em ergency line.
What is your emergency?”
C. Parkway emergency lines shall be answered, “Sheriff’s emerge ncy line.
What is your emergency?”
D. Automatic ring down lines sha ll be answered, “Dispatch (name and/or
number).”
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E. Non-emergency lines shall be an swered, “Sheriff’s dispatch ( name and/or
number). How may I help you?”
VI. Outside Agency Communications
A. Telephone conversations with persons from outside agencies o ften result
in the other agency re-contacting Communications at a later tim e. Re-
contact is frequently the result o f a continuing situation wher e updated
information is either requested or made available. A problem ex ists when
the original operator is unavail able or has left for the day an d other
personnel are unaware of the prior communication between the tw o
agencies.
1. To minimize the confusion t hat may result, Communications
personnel shall give the individu al from the outside agency the
following information.
a. Name. b. Communications station position. c. Event number, if applicable. d. Information regarding pending fi eld requests, if applicable.
2. Communications personnel shall also obtain the same informat ion
from that person.