Welcome to the Baltimore Police Department s Communications Section

1. Welcome to the Baltimore Police Department�s Communications Section

2. The Communications Section The Baltimore Police Communications Section is composed of three different units: The 911 Unit The Police Dispatch Unit and The 311 Unit

3. The 911 Unit When a citizen is confronted with an emergency in Baltimore City, they contact the City�s 911 Unit which is operated by the Police Department. The call is electronically sent to the City�s 911 Center by the local telephone provider, Verizon.

4. The 911 Unit The call is received on equipment that can discern two critical messages within the electronic signal: The Automatic Number Indicator (ANI) which indicates what phone number the call is coming from, and The Automatic Locator Indicator (ALI) which indicates the address where the phone is located.

5. The 911 Unit The ANI and ALI are then electronically received by the Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD), and CAD places that information in the call for service. The 911 Operator then answers the call, and through a conversation with caller, learns what the emergency is and where the caller needs the Police, a Medic Unit, or Fire Apparatus.

6. The 911 Unit If the caller needs Fire apparatus, the 911 Operator forwards the call to Fire Communications. If the caller needs a medic unit, the call is switched to an EMT on duty in Fire Communications who performs the call entry function. If the Fire Department is in backlog, a call for service is created by the Police 911 Operator. If the caller needs police service the 911 Operator enters the necessary information in the text of the call i.e.: The incident that has or is occurring The correct number code that corresponds to the type of call or the call type The description of the suspects involved Any other information that might assist the Police Officer that will respond to the call for service.

7. The Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD) The 911 Operator then enters the call into the Computer Aided Dispatch System (CAD). CAD then accepts all the ANI and ALI information and all the information that the 911 Operator has entered into the text of the call for service.

8. Police Deployment In order to understand the next step in the call handling process, Police Deployment in Baltimore City must be explained. The Police Department divides the City into nine Police Districts: Central District Southeastern District Eastern District Northeastern District Northern District Northwestern District Western District Southwestern District Southern District

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10. Police Deployment CAD assigns a corresponding number to the Police District and it follows the numbering you saw on the previous slide: Central District Southeastern District Eastern District Northeastern District Northern District Northwestern District Western District Southwestern District Southern District

11. Police Deployment Each District is divided into 3 to 4 Sectors. Each Shift is assigned a letter code: A = The Midnight to 8:00 AM Shift B = The 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Shift C = The 4:00 PM to Midnight Shift Each Sector is divided into 1 to 7 Posts. Thus 2B14 car is: In the Southeastern District (2) Working the 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Shift (B) In Sector 1 in the Southeastern District (1) The 4th Post in Sector 1 of the SED (4)

12. Dispatcher Deployment Each District has its own dispatcher and Each District has its own talk group on the radio system. There is one dispatcher that controls the City Wide talk group. Criminal Investigation Division (Detectives) The Traffic Unit Motorcycles Accident Investigation Crime Lab Units Tactical Units Quick Response Team � The Special Weapons and Tactics Team The Emergency Services Unit � The bomb squad and counter sniper unit The Marine Unit A total of 10 dispatchers

13. The CAD System The CAD System then reviews all the information it has been given, specifically: The location of the call from the Automatic Locator Indicator or the location entered by the 911 Operator, and The Type of the call entered by the 911 Operator.

14. The CAD System CAD then determines: The Police District the Call is in The Police Post the Call is in The closest available police unit (post) to the call. The call is then sent to the Police Dispatch position that handles the District the call is in, with a recommendation to the Dispatcher as to what Police Unit should be sent to the call. This entire process occurs in less than 1 second.

15. Dispatch Unit The Police Dispatcher then selects the closest available unit for the call and via the radio system advises the unit of the call. The Dispatcher then enters his/her actions in CAD. If the Police Unit handling the call has an online Mobile Work Station, the call will also appear on the officer�s Mobile Work Station via an electronic signal.

16. In Summary the 911 call process is as follows:

17. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit

18. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit In 1995 the Baltimore Police Department answered 1,331,601 calls. Of these almost 60 % were deemed to be non-emergency calls. As a result: The 911 Unit was handling a significant number of non-emergency calls. This detracted from the Unit�s ability to handle incoming emergency calls for service. Patrol units were responding to a significant number of non-emergency calls. This detracted from patrol officers ability to handle emergency calls for service.

19. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit It became obvious that the Department had to develop a method to handle non-emergency calls for service to alleviate the number of non-emergency calls being handled by 911 and patrol units. The solution arrived at was to implement the use of a non-emergency number staffed by police who could over the phone handle non-emergency calls for service thus diverting those calls from the 911 Unit and Patrol Units. The answer arrived at was to utilize 311 as a non-emergency number.

20. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit In 1996 the Baltimore Police Department received a grant from the Office of the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) of the Department of Justice to initiate a pilot 311 Unit. On October 2, 1996 the 311 Unit became operational.

21. The 311 call process as of October 1996

22. The 311 call process as of October 1996

23. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit Reports the 311 Unit may take over the phone that preclude a police response. Larceny of property valued at less than $1000 in which the complainant is unable to provide the identity or a description of a potential suspect. Destruction of property valued at less that $1000 in which the complainant is unable to provide the identity or a description of a potential suspect. Lost Property.

24. Comparison of 911 Calls before and after the implementation of 311

25. Percentage of reduction 911 Calls after the implementation of 311(compared to before 311�s implementation in 1996)

26. Police Non-Emergency 311 Unit As with any pilot project deficiencies were identified after its implementation. The process of handling calls requiring a police response posed some difficulties with the public. It was learned that the public expected a police response within 1 to 2 hours of calling 311. An officer was normally not responding to the complaint until 24 to 48 hours after the call was made. This led to some public dissatisfaction with 311. Thus, in April of 2001 the 311 call process was changed .

27. Reconfiguration of 311 Mayor Martin O�Malley pioneered the CitiStat process. CitiStat is based upon the Comstat process utilized by the NYPD and the Baltimore Police Department. Comstat utilizes computer pin mapping and weekly accountability sessions to reduce crime.

28. Reconfiguration of 311 CitiStat is the result of the migration of this process to Baltimore City government. All City Department heads and bureau chiefs are held accountable for the quality of service provided to the citizens of Baltimore. This resulted in a highly motivated municipal bureaucracy, and a by product of this process was a reconfiguration of the utilization of 311 in Baltimore City.

29. Current 311 call process

30. Current 311 call process

31. Police Non-Emergency 311 call process

32. Current 311 call process

33. Police Non-Emergency 311 Quality compliance surveys have revealed the new call process has resulted in a 99% satisfaction rate of those that have called Police Non- Emergency 311 since the call process was modified. Citizens now find the police respond to a Police Non- Emergency 311 call within the expected time frames.

34. The Future of 311 The Police Department along with the Mayor�s Office of Information and Technology is now examining the potential of taking 311 Calls via the internet. In the future, the citizens of Baltimore will be able to e-mail non-emergency requests for police service and city services to 311.

35. When Calling 911 or 311 Try to give the exact location of where the incident is occurring I.E.: Looney�s Pub � 2900 O�Donnell Street. If you do not know the exact address utilize the 100 Block of the street or road I.E.: Looney�s Pub � 2900 Block of O�Donnell Street. If you do not know the 100 Block of the street or road utilize the closest intersection and give its relationship to the location I.E.: Looney�s Pub, on the corner of O�Donnell and Linwood.

36. When Calling 911 or 311 Try to describe exactly what is occurring I.E.: There is a person holding a gun on the employee at the counter. Someone just broke the glass in front of the building and is entering the store. There is a large group of people in front of the store fighting. There is a large group in front of the store screaming and making a lot of noise. Someone is dealing drugs in front of the store.

37. When Calling 911 or 311 Try to give as an exact description as possible of the person or persons committing the offense using the following indicators : Race Sex Age Height Weight

38. When Calling 911 or 311 Description continued: Clothing Hat Style and color If no hat � hair Hairstyle and color Jacket or shirt Style and color Pants Style and color Shoes Style and color

39. The EndThank you for your time and attention. The Baltimore Police Department�s Communications Section & the City�s One Call Center