EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT
MANUAL OF GENERAL ORDERS
General Order: 600-01 Effective: DRAFT Number of Pages: 14
COMMUNICATIONS: Communications Operations
Accreditation Standards: 81.1.1, 81.1.2, 81.2.1, 81.2.2, 81.2.3, 81.2.4, 81.2.5, 81.2.6, 81.2.7, 81.2.8, 81.2.9,
81.2.10, 81.2.13, 81.2.14, 81, 3.2, 81.3.3, 81.3.4 Rescinds: N/A
Purpose
To provide the communications personnel and other department members with clear guidelines, rules, and regulations to follow for the efficient and effective performance of their duties that
relate to the communications function.
Policy
It shall be the policy of the East Carolina University Police Department to be in full compliance with all applicable state and federal laws regarding communications procedures and requirements and to ensure that the communications system and personnel satisfy the immediate information needs of the East Carolina University Police Department and the University community during all emergency and non-emergency situations.
Definitions
Communications Center – is the central location within the main Police Department building where all necessary communications system functions take place. The Communications Center houses all equipment and systems necessary to satisfy the immediate information needs of the department and the ECU community in the course of normal daily activities and during emergencies.
Satellite Office – refers to the office space at the Brody School of Medicine that is staffed by one telecommunicator at all times. Although the satellite office is not a communications center, it does house a CAD system and various other types of communications equipment that is utilized by telecommunicators to dispatch officers assigned to the Health Sciences Campus to calls for service and to record officers’ actions. The satellite office may be used as an alternative communications center in the event that the Communications Center has to be evacuated. Rules, regulations, and procedures in chapter 600 of the General Orders manual that apply to the Communications Center also apply to the Satellite Office only to the extent that the equipment, facilities, and personnel exist to perform the communications functions in question.
Telecommunicators – are typically non-sworn employees of the Police Department whose primary duty is to receive and transmit emergency and non-emergency information to and from police department personnel and members of the campus community through the use of police radio, telephone, CAD, alarms system, cameras, etc. Telecommunicator also refers to personnel who are assigned to perform telecommunicator functions on a temporary basis (i.e. police officers relieving T.O. for breaks) and those personnel assigned to communications duties at the Satellite Office.
Rules and Regulations
1. Telecommunicators shall perform their assigned duties in compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, policies and procedures, and all general and specific orders of the ECU Police Department.
2. Telecommunicators shall observe and obey all rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) governing the use of communications equipment.
3. Telecommunicators shall maintain the Communications Center as a restricted area and allow only entry to authorized personnel. To this end, the door to the Communications Center (and Satellite Office) shall remain locked at all times, unless special circumstances exist as determined by the on-duty shift commander/supervisor.
4. Telecommunicators shall report to work on time, wearing the department approved uniform, and mentally and physically fit to perform their duties.
5. The East Carolina University Police Department shall use clear speech and the Ten-Codes to conduct radio communications between police officers and the Communications Center and other area law enforcement agencies. Exceptions to this rule apply when other emergency response agencies are involved in the incident in which case Ten-Codes should not be used.
6. Telecommunicators shall devote their on-duty time and efforts toward the efficient and effective performance of their duties.
7. Smoking is prohibited in the Communications Center.
8. Telecommunicators shall not provide computerized file data or locator card file information to unauthorized persons under any circumstances.
Authorized Personnel Access
The Communications Center is a restricted-access area. On-duty telecommunicators are responsible for maintaining the security and ensuring that access to the Communications Center is limited to authorized personnel. Only departmental personnel that have an official business necessity are authorized to enter the Communications Center. Non-police department personnel who have a verifiable business necessity are authorized to enter the Communications Center at the discretion of the on-duty telecommunicator or other authorized police department personnel. The Authorized Personnel Access List is published in the Communications Center Manual. Access to the Police Department will be limited after hours to prevent unauthorized persons from entering the building. The door will be secured from 7:00PM until 7:00AM. The door will also be secured during periods of civil disturbance, emergencies, and by the direction of the on-duty squad commander/supervisor or any member of the command staff. Refer to the Communications Center Manual for procedures to lock and unlock the door and methods of allowing access to members of the public after 7:00 PM.
Confidentiality
All record information obtained through the DCI computer network is confidential and may only be released to authorized personnel as described in Title 12 of the North Carolina Administrative Code. Telecomunicators will comply with all laws, policies and regulations that pertain to the release of personal information to the public. All requests for additional information will be forwarded to the Public Information Officer or designee.
Operations
The Communications Center responds to multiple telephone calls requesting assistance and information in routine matters, as well as providing assistance in life threatening and emergency situations. To ensure that assistance is dispatched quickly and professionally, operational procedures are established to guide telecommunicators through routine and emergency situations.
1. The Communications Center shall be responsible for the following functions:
A. Dispatching police officers to calls for service
B. Monitoring radio traffic
C. Answering requests for information, including inquiries from victims/witnesses of crimes.
D. Coordinating communications between officers in the field
E. Use of the 911 system
F. Monitoring automated communications with other agencies
G. Monitoring and observation of video cameras
H. Monitoring and observation of automated alarm systems
I. Dispatching police officers to alarms as necessary
2. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Compliance
A. All radio operations of the East Carolina University Police Department will be conducted in accordance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) procedures and requirements.
B. All FCC licenses will be maintained and displayed within the Communications Center.
3. 24 Hour Telephone Access for Emergency and Non-emergency Calls
A. The East Carolina University Police Department provides 24 hour, toll free telephone access to the Communication Centers for emergencies through a single emergency telephone number, 911. There are nine emergency lines in the Communications Center on Main Campus. All 911 calls from West Campus are automatically routed to the Communications Center. All nine lines are recorded, using the Audio Line Recording Device.
B. The East Carolina University Police Department provides 24 hour, toll free telephone access to the Communications Center through 252-328-6787 for non-emergency calls. 24 hour, toll free telephone access to the Health Sciences Campus satellite office is provided by dialing 252-744-2246. These lines are also recorded using the Audio Line Recording Device.
C. Designated emergency telephone lines will not be used for out-going calls.
D. The emergency number, 911, is prominently displayed on Department literature disseminated to the public and on all marked police vehicles.
4. 24 Hour Two-way Radio Capability
The Communications Center provides continuous communication between the police officers on duty and the Communications Center through 24 hour two-way radio service. All East Carolina University Police Department radio operations are conducted in accordance with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, regulations and requirements
5. Obtaining and Recording Information Related to Requests for Service
A. Calls for service are entered and recorded in the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System, which allows a permanent record to be maintained. Telecommunicators shall gather sufficient information from the caller in consideration of police officer safety and anticipated conditions to be encountered at the scene. Certain categories of calls necessitate that the telecommunicator obtain specific information. Checklists and tactical dispatch plans are made available via the Communications Center Manual to assist telecomunicators in obtaining this information. The telecommunicator shall ask additional questions as deemed necessary. During the course of a request for criminal and non-criminal service or self-initiated activity, the telecommunicator, in conjunction with the CAD system, shall enter all information as it is listed in the Communications Center Manual.
B. The telecommunicator shall dispatch calls for service by giving the police officer(s) any available information on previous responses to the location and shall enter the time of dispatch, the officer’s call number and the incident case number.
C. When a police officer is dispatched or responds to backup the primary officer, a CAD system entry shall be made under the same call number. The entry shall indicate the police officer dispatched as the first responding officer as well as any backup officer(s) dispatched.
D. The police officer(s) shall notify the Communications Center upon arrival at the scene and the telecommunicator shall make any entry in the CAD system to indicate the time of arrival. The police officer shall notify the Communications Center upon completion of the call and indicate his/her return to service. The telecommunicator shall make an entry in the CAD system of the police officer’s return to service.
6. Parking Passes
Parking passes that are available in the Communications Center (and at Brody) are available to visitors of the University. The passes shall not be given out before Parking and Traffic closes for the day. Anyone wishing to get a parking pass shall be referred to Parking and Traffic during normal operating hours. Parking passes that are given out after Parking and Traffic closes for the day are to be given out to visitors only.
7. Radio Communications To and From Field Officers
A. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) licenses the East Carolina
University Police Department to broadcast official police communications in compliance with FCC rules and regulations.
B. The Communications Center is responsible for selecting and dispatching police officers to calls for service. Generally, this is accomplished by using a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System, which generates police officer’s status. The dispatching of a police officer to a call for service carries the authority of an order.
C. Police officers are assigned permanent radio call numbers. Police officers can be identified on the radio by their call numbers. Patrol supervisors will advise the Communications Center of the name, call number and section assignment for each officer under their command prior to the beginning of each tour of duty.
D. The Communications Center shall call for a specific police officer(s) and shall expect that the police officer(s) will acknowledge the transmission. Police officers shall not acknowledge radio transmissions intended for other officers. A police officer that is closer to the location of a call for service may be reassigned to the call if emergency circumstances dictate.
E. The CAD system will record and indicate whenever an officer checks out in an “out of service” status.
F. Generally, there will be one police officer assigned to respond to a call for service; however, there are specific incidents that, by their nature, will necessitate the response of one or more additional officers. Situations that require the dispatching of backup officers are listed in the Communications Center Manual.
G. Responsibilities of Responding Officers(s)
(1) Police officers shall be provided with the means for constant radio communications through the use of handheld transceivers. Each police officer shall be assigned a handheld transceiver. In addition, each police vehicle shall be equipped with an in car mobile radio.
(2) Police officers shall transmit to the Communications Center the officer’s call number and shall wait for an acknowledgment from the Communications Center. Police officers shall use clear speech and the Ten-Code authorized by the department.
(3) A police officer that is not dispatched to a call for service, but responds to the call shall inform the Communications Center of his/her response to the call. Police officers that have knowledge or pertinent information about a pending call for service should transmit that information to the Communications Center so the telecommunicator can dispatch additional officers if necessary.
(4) Police officers responding to calls for service, or the on-duty supervisor(s), may direct the Communications Center to dispatch additional officers as deemed necessary.
(5) Police officers shall report to the Communications Center by radio:
a. Upon arrival at the scene of an incident
b. Before leaving their patrol vehicles for other duties
c. When making a vehicle traffic stop
d. When making a pedestrian stop
e. When becoming unavailable for service
f. When returning to service
H. Supervisor Response to Scenes
Serious incidents often occur that require the presence of a supervisor on the scene to effectively direct police response and determine investigative priorities. A supervisor’s response to calls for service will generally be at the supervisor’s discretion. Incidents that mandate a Supervisor’s on-scene response are listed in General Order 700-03 Patrol Procedures. Other General Orders including those in Chapter 1300 of the General Orders Manual entitled Special Operations, General Orders 900-07 Missing Persons, and General Order 1400-02 Preliminary and Follow-up Investigations provide additional information regarding supervisory personnel at incident locations and calls for service.
8. Access to Departmental Resources
A. The Communications Center shall have at all times immediate access to:
(1) The officer in charge
(2) The duty roster, to include patrol supervisors and names and unit numbers of all police officers on duty and their assignments
(3) The personnel roster, to include the names, residential addresses and both work and residential telephone numbers of all Department personnel.
B. The Communications Center shall have, immediately available to on-duty telecommunicators, a listing of telephone numbers for emergency service agencies.
C. Current maps, showing the department’s service area, are posted in the Communications Center and are visually available to all telecommunicators. Names and addresses of property recently obtained by ECU which are not shown on the maps are maintained in the telecommunicator’s folder for call out listings.
D. Written procedures applicable to telecommunicators are located in the Communications Center Manual, maintained in the Communications Center at all times. A copy of the Communications Manual shall also be maintained in the Satellite Office located at the Brody School of Medicine. Telecommunicators shall utilize these telephone numbers for contacting and providing necessary services that are external to The East Carolina University Police Department. Emergency and non-emergency callout numbers are also maintained and accessible in the Communications Center Call Out Book.