Yonkers, New York

 

Yonkers Police Communications Division

Commanding Officer Captain Itzla
Executive Officer Lieutenant Hellthaler

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Take A Look Inside The Communications Division

  

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   The Communications Division of the Yonkers Police Department serves as the initial receiving point for all emergency calls for service. Incoming calls for service are screened, prioritized, and assigned to the proper units based on Department policies and procedures. The Division is responsible for the dispatching of Police and Fire Department units as well as for emergency medical services. During the 2004 calendar year, the Communications Division received more than 634,000 telephone inquires and service related requests. The Division received over 104,000 911 calls for service.

What happens when you dial 911 anywhere in Westchester?
   911 facts...the call goes directly to the city or village where YOU are calling from, the phone keeps ringing in your local police department. Even if you hang up immediately; calls display the registered telephone numbers name, address, apt number; tells the 911 operator if it is a private residence, coin phone, business, switchboard. Once the police operator answers a 911 call and you hang up, the connection is not broken, your phone is connected and you cannot make any calls until 911 hangs up.....if constantly busy a police car is dispatched to the address to verify if you have an emergency. 

NYSPIN Unit
    In addition to directing the activities of police, fire and ambulance services, the Communications Division provides a NYSPIN (New York State Police Information Network) Unit. The NYSPIN Unit serves as the official link with other departments around the world. By using NYSPIN terminals, the Unit transmits teletype alarms on wanted or missing persons, stolen or recovered vehicles, stolen or lost articles, guns etc. This information is forwarded through NYSPIN to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in Washington, D.C., where a data bank is maintained for retrieval by any law enforcement agency. There were 589,592 inquiries and transactions made and 20,244 data entry alarms generated in 1999.

Repair Unit
    The Radio Repair Unit of the Division is responsible for the maintenance of all portable and mobile radios assigned to the Department. Radios needing major repairs that cannot be completed by the Radio Repair Unit are sent back to the manufacturer. The Unit distributes and is responsible for the batteries used in the portable radios. The Unit also installs, maintains, and removes the lightbars and siren systems on new and old, marked and unmarked police vehicles. The Radio Repair Unit also serves as the liaison for telephone services both at City Hall and with the Westchester County 911 system.
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Mobile Command Center
   Another responsibility of the Communications Division is to maintain the Department's Mobile Command Center (MCC). This vehicle is a valuable tool for the Police Department and its officers. It is a communications center "on wheels" and can handle the dispatching of police and fire units. The MCC can also be brought to the scene of major occurrences and used as a command post. It's video capabilities allow the unit to be placed a distance from the scene and still maintain visual contact. A meeting area in the rear of the vehicle is spacious enough to handle planning and strategy discussions among the command level officers responsible for the scene. The vehicle is also equipped with a wind and weather station to assist with the landing of helicopters.

Calls for Service
    Members of the Yonkers Police Department perform many different services. Most of the Department's direct contact with the public is through the uniformed patrol force. Patrol has two main elements, random patrol and answering specific calls for service. Random patrol deters crime through high visibility and the element of surprise. By answering calls for service, a crime can be prevented, stopped, or investigated. Patrol also addresses many quality of life issues, such as noise complaints, by answering calls for service.
 
Members of the public call the police for many different reasons. Reports of criminal activity are just one portion of the calls the Yonkers Police Department receives. While most people associate police work with fighting crime, officers also handle many non-criminal incidents such as helping lost children, giving medical aid in emergencies, and directing traffic. Other calls involve family disputes, false alarms, potentially suicidal persons, and animal complaints. The police are also called to assist other city departments, such as the Fire Department, and other agencies, such as utility companies, to help them accomplish their goals. The Police Department also receives many telephone calls for information on subjects not related to law enforcement, such as school closings or requests for directions. Calls requesting information do not usually require an officer to respond to a scene (and are therefore not counted in the call for service figure below), but they do provide an important service to the public.

  
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