The Support Services Unit is comprised of the Dispatch, Records and Property and Evidence Bureaus.
The Dispatch Bureau serves the citizens of Elk Grove 24 hours per day, seven days a week, 365 days per year. Bureau personnel are always available to dispatch policeunits, answer incoming 9-1-1 and non emergency calls, answer questions, make referrals and assist citizens with a myriad of requests.
Dispatchers respond to the needs of our community by using multiple state-of- the- art Communications Systems.
- The Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system allows dispatch staff to categorize and track both officer's locations and calls for service. Patrol cars are equipped with vehicle locator software which displays the location of the vehicle on a sophisticated mapping system. This system interfaces with CAD and is viewed by the dispatcher.
- Dispatchers communicate with field personnel by using a county-wide trunked 800 MHz Radio System. Regionalization allows for interoperability during emergency incidents requiring multi agency response.
- The 9-1-1 phone system provides the dispatcher with the caller's geographic address and phone number if a landline call, and will provide the latitude and longitude on most cellular calls. TDD equipment is an internal feature of the phone system, allowing the deaf community access to the Dispatcher.
- Each Dispatch console is fully ergonomic allowing the Dispatcher to complete all job functions from a seated or fully standing position. Task lighting, focal depth monitors and heating units help the staff stay comfortable while completing job duties.
The Dispatch Bureau is the primary 9-1-1 public safety answering point (PSAP) for the City of Elk Grove. The Bureau is part of the Support Services Unit and is overseen by the Dispatch Manager and staffed by 3 Dispatch Supervisors and 18 Dispatchers. All Dispatchers receive training to serve as Communications Training Officers and Tactical Dispatchers. Some Dispatchers respond to assist field personnel on critical incidents. All Dispatchers are POST Certified and have extensive experience in handling police emergencies. On average, each Dispatcher has in excess of 10 years of experience.
Calls received requiring fire and/or medical assistance are transferred to the Sacramento Regional Fire Communications Center which is responsible for all Fire/Medical type incidents in Sacramento County.
If you dial 9-1-1 by mistake, do not hang up. Stay on the line and inform the dispatcher of the error. Hanging up only creates additional work for already busy dispatchers and prevents them from answering additional incoming lines.
Emergency: 9-1-1
Examples of when to call 9-1-1 are:
- Any medical emergency
- Any crime involving weapons (guns, knives, bats, etc.)
- Any fires
- Any in progress or just occurred crimes
- Any time a suspect is still in or near the area
When Calling 9-1-1
When calling 9-1-1 be prepared to provide the dispatcher with:
- The location where help is needed.
- The type of problem and if it is in-progress.
- Number of suspects.
- Suspect description (race, sex, height, weight, clothing) and last known direction of travel.
- What type of weapon was involved if applicable.
- Any additional information that relates to the incident.
- Vehicle description (color, year, make, model, license plate number), if any; and last know direction of travel.
When reporting emergency situations, it is important that callers quickly answer the questions that are being asked. The dispatcher will know what information is needed and will often direct the questions at a fast pace; this can sometimes be perceived as being short or curt. In situations of extreme emergency specific responses to questions will ultimately benefit the citizen calling, as well as the officer responding to the scene or incident.
Text 911
Have an emergency but can’t talk? Don’t forget, the Elk Grove Police Department Communications Center offers the capability to text 911. This service should only be used when voice communication poses a significant safety risk, or you cannot make a call due to service connection. This service is also beneficial to those members of our community who are hearing or speech impaired.
If you have an emergency and need to text for help, enter 911 into the “To” field. Add your message but be brief. Provide the location and the nature of your emergency. Do not text photos or videos. Be ready to answer follow up questions so an appropriate response can be coordinated.
Some helpful tips when using Text to 911 service include:
- Always provide the exact location of the emergency
- Don’t use abbreviations, emojis, or slang
- Texts can only be received in English at this time – additional languages will be available in the future
- No group texting
- Only call 911 in the event of an emergency and only text 911 when calling is absolutely NOT an option
- “Call if you can – text if you can't!”
Non-Emergency Phone Calls
The non-emergency phone number, (916) 714-5115, should be used to report calls that are not life threatening or serious in progress type calls.
When requesting services for non-emergency/non-life threatening situations, it is important to remember that emergency calls have priority over non-emergency calls. It may be necessary for a dispatcher to place non-emergency calls on hold in order to answer incoming 9-1-1 calls.
Questions callers may be asked include:
- The location where help is needed.
- The type of problem, and time element if it is not in progress
- Any suspect information
- Suspect description (race, sex, height, weight, clothing) and last known direction of travel.
- What type of weapon was involved if applicable.
- Any additional information you may have that relates to the incident.
- Vehicle description (color, year, make, model, license plate number), if any; and last know direction of travel.
- Writing instrument and paper for referral information