FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – The Fresno Police Department’s 9-1-1 Center has been completely remodeled in a $2 million project.
It’s all state of the art technology by AT&T, and paid for by California’s 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Fund.
“We want people at home to know when they call 9-1-1, we will answer that call in a very timely fashion, have the ability to not only process that information and get an officer to respond but in the event that that call gets lost – we will be able to immediately make a call back to that caller in every situation where there is a land line call, and in almost every case when there is a cellular call.” – Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer.
The updated system effortlessly reconnect to 911 hang-ups – which can be vital – even lifesaving in cases such as when domestic violence victims have had to hang up the phone.
There’s now long-term storage now of all calls and radio transmissions, so police can easily collect and submit recordings to the DA’S Office for prosecution.
There’s even a 9-1-1 backup center, in case of evacuation.
“I think the best new feature as far as technology goes is a mapping system, that plots the latitude and longitude, before the dispatchers would have to go into the internet, like Google maps or something and find latitude – longitude on separate map and now the mapping system is part of the phone system so immediately we get it and it plots it. – Kathy Deborde, Dispatcher.
The Police Department is also now four hiring emergency services dispatchers. – two job information sessions will be held Thursday, July 6th and Saturday, July 8th at Fresno City Hall.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern.
More Details:
The new center was built by AT&T, Russ Bassett (consoles), Strategic Mechanical (electrical) Quality Carpets Design Center, and James & Co Lighting. The center now features:
• Accurate geographical location for all landline calls.
• Accurate geographical location of most cellular callers with automatic plotting.
• An updated callback system allows dispatchers to effortlessly recontact a citizen.
• A new recording system allows for long-term storage of all telephone calls and radio transmissions. The department can easily collect and submit recordings to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
• Two large 55″ screen monitors provide updated call taking performance.
• The numbers of positions were increased from 30 to 34 consoles. Additional data lines and electrical plugs were preinstalled for a future expansion to 38 consoles.
• As ComCen employees often work 12 hr. shifts, all 34 positions have ergonomically designed consoles and chairs which allows the user to either sit or stand in comfort.
• The Department also constructed a 9-1-1 backup center, located off-site, in the unlikely event ComCen personnel have to evacuate the main center.
