Communications System Review - Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) - Police Technical Assistance Report

• NCJ Number: 81723
• Author(s): R J Evans
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 63 pages
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-002-76
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: King Cty Dept of Public Safety; Public Admin Service
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Report number 79-057-213

Annotation

The communications system of the police department in King County, Wash., was studied to assess its current design and operation and to examine plans for the future of the system.

Abstract

Data were gathered through onsite discussions and observations and through review of documents related to the system. The study focused on the overall system design, the handling of incoming calls, the writing of reports, the use of frequencies, the staffing and workload, and dispatch data collection and dispatching procedures. It also examined the future integration of a system for computer-aided dispatching, the capability for maintaining the system, and future planning. Among findings were the excessive staff time for transferring the incident card from the call taker to the dispatcher, and the uneven distribution of the call-takers' workloads. It was recommended that the department make a computer-aided dispatch system its top priority in communications improvement. Such a system would reduce confusion and noise in the control center, improve response time in the dispatch office, and eliminate manual operations related to the handling of calls. It was also recommended that call-takers be staffed at 30 persons so that the average time before a call was answered would be 5 seconds, that a lead dispatcher be used, that a fourth dispatch console be added, and that space be provided for report writers in the control center. A yearly review of priorities for the system and periodic review of future system costs in relation to inflated labor and equipment prices were also recommended. Establishment of a mutual-aid radio system to aid all departments in the county and coordination with the Washington State Patrol on future mutual-aid planning were recommended as well. Figures and appendixes presenting a discussion of staffing requirements for the communications center, a memo requesting new radio maintenance positions, and the improvement plan for the radio communications system are provided.