Communications
The
Communications Division handles all incoming calls to the police department
and routes them to the appropriate emergency service agency. This division
dispatches all police, fire, and emergency medical service agencies within
the Town and operates the Regional Medical Alert Center (REMAC) which coordinates
communication between paramedics and hospital physicians within a 5 county
area.
Once called dispatchers, the personnel that staff the Communications Division are now referred to as Telecommunicators because of the varied tasks they perform. In addition to the dispatch of emergency units, Telecommunicators also:
- Staff the Police Department Front Desk. When you need a report copy, require routine information, or come by to follow-up on a case you will be helped by a Telecommunicator.
- Operate the New York Statewide Police Information Network (NYSPIN) computers. These computers provide information on driver's licenses and registrations, criminal history information and reports of crimes in other jurisdictions. Serial numbers from stolen property can be entered into a nationwide network, helping police to recover property from around the country.
- Provide medical instructions by telephone to victims of illness or injury until the ambulance arrives. Telecommunicators are trained to carefully screen calls and provide instruction to family members, ranging from preventing further injury to performing CPR.
The communications division is staffed by two co-directors, five Senior Dispatchers, and 22 full-time Public Safety Dispatchers.
For routine questions and problems, which the Telecommunicators are skilled at answering as well, call the Police Information Desk at 783-2744.
E-911
When you dial "911" from any phone in Colonie, the call
will be routed directly to the Communications Center where the
Telecommunicators will determine the nature of the call and send
immediate help to your location. "Enhanced" 911 means
that when you call 911, the address you are calling from is automatically
displayed on the Telecommunicator's screen. This is crucial in
the event a person becomes unconscious before giving the location,
or a crime in progress prevents the caller from giving the address.
Remember, use 911 only for emergencies!
Mobile Data Terminals
Colonie Police cars are equipped
with notebook computers. These computers increase the efficiency
of dispatch and allow officers in the field to routinely check
information such as driver's licenses, registrations, missing
and wanted persons inquiries, and more which in the past could
only be done via radio. Using computers for dispatching routine
calls also frees up radio time for urgent transmissions. This
is a cooperative program with Albany County E-911.