The Communications Division is staffed with a 9-1-1/Communications Manager, four Communications Supervisors and 12 Communicators, and is aligned to coincide with the four platoon system. The communications staff is responsible for the handling of emergency and non-emergency calls from the public.
In 2019 Communications staff answered 118,530 calls not including 9-1-1 calls, resulting in 32,128 calls for service. This is a 4.7% increase from 2018.
The Communications section is responsible for the 24/7/365 coordination of the 9-1-1 Emergency Centre and the police radio dispatch system in keeping with the supervisory and operational responsibilities mandated by the legislation contained in the Ontario Police Services Act.
Communicators provide centralized control of personnel and facilitate front line operations through the rapid dissemination of critical information by radio and telephone.
The Service’s Communications Unit is the Public Safety Answering Point for the residents of Peterborough as well as the Townships of Selwyn and Cavan Monaghan. Communication staff are highly trained professionals that are responsible for receiving and prioritizing emergency calls, dispatching and down streaming emergency medical and fire calls to our emergency partners.
The Emergency Communications/9-1-1 Centre received 33,528 9-1-1 calls, including 722 from the Township of Selwyn and 2,005 from the Township of Cavan Monaghan in 2019. 9-1-1 call statistics show a 1.35% increase from the previous year.
In 2019 the Communications Unit also received 4,957 no answer calls. These are calls where the caller hangs up upon emergency operators answering the line. It is the responsibility of the Communication Centre to call back every no answer call and ensure the callers wellbeing and dispatch emergency services if required.
In 2017 the first phase of the security camera system upgrade was completed to replace the end-of-life failing camera system. Phase III, the final stage of the Security Camera CCTV replacement project was completed in 2019.
The final phase included the replacement of all legacy security cameras and equipment. In all, thirty-two cameras inside and outside of police headquarters were replaced with high resolution IP cameras. The Communications Centre had a fourth viewing monitor installed and the old legacy camera equipment was removed from the front of the room. This completed the CCTV Security Camera Project.
The Communications Centre underwent a major install and update in 2019. The installation added an additional dispatch work station to the Centre. The update was to clean up, re-cable and move the existing three work stations into a new layout that created a better use of space within the Centre.
Due to the nature of the work done in the 9-1-1 Centre, the work had to be completed as live installs taking place over a three day span. The project was successfully completed on time and with very few technical issues due in no small part to the team work and professionalism of our communications staff members.
In 2020 the Division hopes to set up this fourth work area as a fully functioning work station that will serve as a training area, a call answer position, a redundant work station, and possibly serve as a backup work station for Peterborough Fire Services.
