The Department of Public Safety's Communication Center is the central nervous system of the Department's safety and security services. Operating 24/hours a day, 7/days a week, the communication center is vital for connecting officers to advanced services outside the college community. Four dispatchers are employed and trained to operate the communication center and it's various components. They answer emergency and routine phone calls and deal with the community who walk in for services.
(Above: Dispatcher Eric Raymond and Officer Aaron Babinski in the Communications Center)
Housed within Dispatch, is all radio equipment to contact every other department on campus. The communications center also contains radios to contact other departments in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut as well as the Massachusetts State Police. Additionally, the College's Fire Safety Control System is monitored from within the Dispatch Center. The department also operates as it's own Alarm Monitoring Station, where a variety of building security alarms are channeled. Dispatch also controls Emergency Phone service and Card Access Control in the classroom buildings and residence halls. Dispatchers are also responsible for maintaining the Department's Record and Case Management System, RMV/LEAPS/NCIC records inquiries, and operate the 48 surveillance cameras throughout campus. The Communications Center is hectic and very demanding on the men and women who work there. These centrally monitored systems allow for the rapid deployment of police, fire, and medical services to the College community and the Dispatchers are truly dedicated members of the Department of Public Safety.