Communication and Records
 Deputy Chief Jim Coleman |
The Communication and Records Division is responsible for the department dispatch office as well as all of the information records that serve as a vital resource for the public, private companies, media and city/state/federal agencies, including department personnel.
Communication (Dispatch):
The mission statement of the communicaiton office is: "The Salt Lake City Police Dispatch Office will maintain a high state of readiness to provide a caring and committed link between the officers and citizens of Salt Lake City. We will strive to form a partnership with the officers in order to create a safe and healthy community in which our citizens can work and live."
There are six front-line supervisors and one geofile person. The geofile person is directly responsible for court-related requests for 911 recordings, payroll, and keeping all street files current. The office is staffed in 8, 10 and 12-hour shifts. The office has a minimum staffing level at all times, which results in mandatory overtime when unforeseen events occur. Of course, the office is staffed every day of the year, every hour of the day. Training of a dispatcher takes approximately six months. There are many certifications required for dispatchers, including the POST certification and ongoing training. More Info...
Records:
With their proficiency at data entry, the Records Unit is commonly misperceived as a filing and data entry unit only. However, with the ever-changing technology of communication and the Records Management System, the unit's skill and expertise in handling that information is an important resource.
Records are a vital part of the police department in many ways:
- For the patrol officer out in the field that runs a name or vehicle in the records
- Records Management System (RMS) to see if there are any cases linked to that person or vehicle.
- For the detective that reviews the case that has been assigned to them and then will check the RMS for additional information about the people or vehicle(s) involved in the case.
- For the city prosecutor that accesses the case in preparation for court.
- For the justice court that receives information that is entered regarding citations.
- For the citizen who had their vehicle impounded and thought it was stolen.
- For the victim of a crime that would like a copy of their case.
The Records Unit is a key component of the police department and assists every division in one way or another. It is complete, accurate and timely record keeping that facilitates the work of a host of law enforcement partners, including courts, Adult Probation & Parole, Federal Probation, Division of Child & Family Services, District Attorney, City Prosecutors, and, especially, the detectives and officers on patrol.
Records Links: