Communications Center

9-1-1 Communications Center

All police dispatchers must attend and complete a Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)-certified emergency dispatcher course. Our dispatchers also undergo additional training set by POST for all California emergency dispatchers in addition to the in-house training.  The Communications Center also employs part-time sub-dispatchers who undergo an in-house training course. 

The center is responsible for taking emergency and routine phone calls and dispatching emergency services personnel.  Police dispatchers are the initial contact from the public for the Police Department and are classified as first responders in the state of California. The dispatchers answer incoming telephone calls from 10-digit non-emergency business lines and 9-1-1 emergency lines. They also operate multiple radio channels and monitor several non-police campus frequencies. 

Monitoring

The Communications Center monitors other surrounding agencies’ radio channels for the purpose of providing mutual aid when necessary. In addition, the campus fire and other alarm systems are monitored at the Communications Center.  The police dispatchers also handle the records management function for the department by processing crime reports, citations, as well as other police record-keeping tasks. 

Emergency Calls

Campus police dispatchers receive emergency calls from both on- and off-campus locations for fire, medical, and police incidents that may require an immediate code-3 response from police officers. The dispatchers also receive service calls that include room unlocks, vehicle battery jumps, vehicle unlocks and much more. On average, the Communications Center handles some 100-200 calls per day. 

The dispatchers also have the capability of utilizing various county, state, and national criminal justice databases that significantly assist police officers with their vehicle traffic stops and criminal investigations.

Emergency Phones 

The El Camino College has a network of 91 code-blue telephones located throughout the campus. The police phones are located along the campus walkways, parking lots and in many of the buildings. The telephones may be accessed in an emergency or if you need the services of the Police Department such as the campus shuttle service. The phones are equipped with both an information button that will dial the Police Department regular non-emergency business number (310-660-3100) as well as an emergency “Push for Help” button that dials 9-1-1. 

How to Use

To contact the Police Department in the event of an emergency, push the red button on the face of the telephone or pick up the red receiver on the telephone. The phone rings directly into the El Camino College Police Communications Center. Calls made from the blue phones are automatically identified by location when it reaches the Communications Center.

If you are a disabled student and have a visual or hearing impairment, it is important to know that an officer will be dispatched to the location of the telephone where a call originated, even if the person making the call cannot communicate with us. 

Locations

There are emergency telephones located inside some of the campus buildings and in all of the elevators. You may also make a 9-1-1 call from any of the pay telephones on campus free of charge. It is important to remember that all land line 9-1-1 calls will ring directly into the Communications Center. 

Due to the campus’ location, wireless 9-1-1 calls may not always be routed directly to the El Camino College Police Department. If you make a 9-1-1 call from your cellular phone while on campus, you may need to advise the 9-1-1 operator to connect you to the El Camino College Police Department.  The Communications Center also has the ability to take text-to-911 emergency text messages.  

Student/Staff Emergency Notifications

El Camino College does not have an internal intercom system, nor does the College employ anyone within any departmental office to run a message service.  However the Police Department, at its discretion, will consider emergency notification requests and evaluate its merits.

Request clearance will only be given to death and/or life-threatening injury notification requests. Verification information must be provided by the caller (e.g., Police Department, hospital, doctor,). False requests are subject to prosecution for filing a false police report. Whenever possible the Police Department will attempt to contact the requester to let them know if notification was made or not.

All requests are subject to manpower availability and will be integrated into existing calls for service. For more information, please contact the Communications Center at 310-660-3100.