Communications Division: Mission and Services
The Communications Division is the 9-1-1 Public Safety Awareness Point (PSAP) for the City of Oakland. Communications receives all emergency calls for police, fire, and medical service. It dispatches and tracks police resources and forwards other emergency calls to the appropriate agency. The Division receives and evaluates non-emergency calls for police and City services.
The Communications Division provides the following services:
•     Answers 9-1-1 calls for service and calls on other emergency and
       non-emergency lines.
•     Transfers fire and medical calls to the Fire Services Agency. 
•     Dispatches and tracks police officers, rangers, animal control officers,       and field civilians.
•     Refers non-emergency calls to other Oakland Police Department
       units, when appropriate.
•     Completes telephone reports for calls not requiring a field response.
•     Responds to demands for tape copies of 9-1-1 incidents from        attorneys, media, etc.
•    Conducts basic dispatch training for new hires and in-service training       for entire staff.
•     Supports tactical and other emergency operations via the Tactical       Operations Support Team.