Communications Section

The Communications Section serves as the public safety answering point for the Village of Vernon Hills and provides emergency and non-emergency radio and telephone communications for the Department. On-duty Communications Operators (also known as telecommunicators) are the first representatives of the Department for all persons calling for assistance and they are the link between the citizens and the police officers. The communications room is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All calls to 9-1-1 for police, fire, and rescue assistance are answered in this facility. The Department has 9 trained telecommunicators who answer all calls for service. An enhanced 9-1-1 system helps to quickly determine the location of an incident so appropriate assistance is dispatched as promptly as possible. The communications room also contains the operating system for the village Emergency Warning Siren System.

However, the role of the Communications Section does not lay solely with the answering of phones and dispatching of personnel and/or equipment. The telecommunicators also monitor all emergency radio communications, a mobile data terminal unit, prisoner booking proceedings, a telephone device for the deaf, a weather computer, a burglar/fire alarm board, and the building's closed circuit television system.

Some of the additional duties of a telecommunicator include:

• Keep abreast of all memorandums and procedural changes.
• Record police activity into the in-house computer system.
• Accurately record all information relative to an officer's activity.
• Enter and respond to messages on the Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). (LEADS is the computer source for license plate, driver's license, and criminal history inquiries.)
• Obtain tow trucks when requested.
• Give information to citizens regarding current events, laws, regulations, etc.
• Keep informed of locations and status of on-duty police officers.
• During non-business hours, serve as the department receptionist for the public walk-in window.
• Activate the village Emergency Warning Siren System.

For more information on the job of Telecommunicator, visit our Recruitment Page.