911 Police, Fire and Medical

The City of Riverside Public-Safety Communications Center is staffed by a team of highly trained communications specialists. Public Safety Dispatchers are trained to handle a variety of Police, Fire and Medical emergencies. Our Public-Safety Communications Center

They are responsible for receiving, prioritizing and sending appropriate assistance to citizens of the City of Riverside. The Center is staffed by 41 Public Safety Dispatchers and 6 Communications Supervisors. The Center has served as the City's Public Safety Communications Center for both the Police and Fire Departments since 1984, when the Dispatch Centers for both Departments merged to form one centralized answering point for all emergency services. Public-Safety Communications personnel handle over 500,000 telephone calls annually.

In order to help best serve the public, the Communications Center asks that you use the 9-1-1 emergency line only when there is an immediate risk to life or property. Some examples of times when it is appropriate to dial 9-1-1 are:

WHEN YOU CALL 9-1-1:
To help dispatchers prioritize your call and to provide the responding officers with the information they need, everyone is asked a standard set of questions. Your Dispatcher will need to know:

1 . . Location of the problem. Even though your telephone number and address should be shown on the Dispatcher’s console, we will want to confirm that the address is correct. Also, you may be calling from a location that is different from the address where you are calling. BE SURE TO GIVE YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER AND EXTENSION TO THE DISPATCHER.

Important Note:  If you are calling 9-1-1 from a cellular telephone, your call is automatically routed to the California Highway Patrol.  You must advise the CHP Dispatcher your location and type of emergency so that your call may be rerouted to the proper 9-1-1 agency.

2 . . Type of problem. The Dispatcher will need to know if you are reporting an emergency or something that is not an emergency. You will be asked for a basic description of what occurred and, if applicable,

  • a. When the incident happened.
  • b. A description of the suspect, including clothing.
  • c. Whether a weapon was involved and, if so, what type.
  • d. A description and direction of travel of a vehicle if one was involved.

    • 3 . . Give the Dispatcher all of the information available to you. Do not leave out information because you don’t think that it is important. The more we know about an incident, the more effective we can be in helping you.

    4 . . If you call 9-1-1 by mistake DO NOT HANG UP! Tell the Dispatcher that you called by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. Any time a Dispatcher receives a 9-1-1 “hang up”, the caller must be contacted to be sure that no actual emergency exists. This may require that an officer be needlessly dispatched to your home or office to ensure the well being of all persons there.

    5 . . If a person does not speak English the 9-1-1 system allows calls to be transferred to an interpreter who can translate many different languages.

    6 . . If a person is using a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) the 9-1-1 system will automatically detect the TDD equipment and open a TDD display screen for the Dispatcher when the 9-1-1 call is answered.  The Dispatcher will require the same information as listed in 1 through 4 above.

    If you are calling to report a crime that has already occurred at some time in the past, or to ask a question, please call the Non-Emergency number of (951) 787-7912. This direct number to the dispatch center is available 24 hours a day to handle calls for the Police and Fire Departments. Some examples of times when it is appropriate to use the Non-Emergency number are:

    If you need to ask a general information question you can call (951) 826-5700.

    The Communications Center

    In addition to handling calls for service, the Communications personnel have been involved with P.O.S.T. (California Peace Officers Standards and Training) in the development of a Public Safety Dispatcher Training Curriculum. They continue to influence communications training throughout the state of California.

    City or Riverside Public Safety Dispatchers have been recognized in the past for their excellence with various awards, including:

     

    We are proud to announce that the California Public Safety Radio Association (CPRA) will be recognizing the following personnel from the City of Riverside Public-Safety Communications Bureau during this year's Annual Telecommunicator Awards ceremony:

    The above Communications personnel will be honored at a banquet for the statewide organization held at the Radisson Resort at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park on April 15, 2004.

    Click here for photos of our 2004 award winners. 

     

    For more information regarding our Communications Bureau or 9-1-1 services, you may e-mail Communications Supervisor John Wright.

    E-mail to: John Wright
     

    Click here to see: Employment Opportunities for Lateral and Trainee Public-Safety Dispatchers. Employment applications are currently being accepted for both Lateral and Trainee Public-Safety Dispatchers for the City of Riverside.

    For more information on the annual Public Safety Telecommunicator Awards, visit the California Public Safety Radio Association Site or contact
    Riverside Public Safety Communications Supervisor John Wright.