Click here to see photographs of our public safety communications officers.

The communications Center has two KML 9-1-1 consoles. This console provides us, automatically, with the name, address, and phone number of the person who is calling 9-1-1. This allows us to know the location of the emergency even if the caller is unable to stay on the line, or convey the information to us him/herself.

The communication Center can also communicate with police agencies statewide though the State Police Emergency Network, also known as "SPEN". This radio frequency is in use by every police agency in the state to allow for communication between agencies.

In addition to the radios and the 9-1-1 consoles, the Public Safety Communications Officers have computer aided dispatch (CAD). It keeps track of all calls for police service and stores all information pertaining to the police department. This system is also tied in with the MDT's in the patrol cars.

The State Police Computer is home to the DMV motorist lookup system, the Automated Traffic and Automated Court System (ATS/ACS), and the New Jersey Criminal Justice Information system (NJCJIS). These systems allow the Communications Staff to look up individuals, vehicles, and other articles for information regarding driver/Criminal history, wants/warrants, and for checks to determine if stolen. This information, delivered in the least time possible, is vital to the police officer on the street with a stopped vehicle. The NJCJIS system transmits missing person entries into the National Criminal Information Center (NCIC). If the person is found in another state, a lookup will indicate that the person has been reported missing. Missing persons are also entered into New Jersey Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NJLETS) which prints out the person's identifying information on the State Computer Printer in every agency in New Jersey.

In all cases, other than the case of a person flagging down an officer, the public safety communications staff are the first contacts a person has with the Princeton Borough Police Department. They become the first impression when someone contacts the police, so it is here that their professionalism becomes very important. When someone calls in an emergency, they are oftentimes very upset, and at times even hysterical. The public safety communications staff must try to calm the person down in order to : 1.) Obtain the location and nature of the emergency, 2.) Obtain the complainant's name, 3.) Help the caller to assist the victim in any way possible and/or obtain any information that will assist the responding officers in apprehension and officer safety.

As you can see, the public safety communication officers do much more than answer the phones. Their ability to be calm and professional during periods of intense stress is essential to the completion of their duties. They are the first contact most people have with the department when they need assistance. It is for this reason that they must be trained to, and perform at, the highest professional standards.