The Communications Center at UCLA Police Department is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with 13 highly-trained, full-time Public Safety Dispatchers (PSD).
PSDs receive and relay calls for assistance via telephone, radio and computer terminals for police, fire, medical aid, hazardous materials, hospital security and general assistance incidents. They monitor numerous talk groups on the 800 MHz radio system, and also have the ability to communicate with several surrounding agencies via UHF and VHF radio bands. Additionally, these UHF and VHF radio bands offer communication capabilities for greater distances and are used as an interoperability communication system between local, State, Federal and Military agencies during any local or large-scale incidents or disasters.
The Communications Center is the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for all 9-1-1 calls originating from campus telephones and some cell phones, depending on the location of the caller on campus. Emergency call boxes are strategically located throughout the campus in parking structures, campus buildings and walkways.
Communications personnel receive and enter data into the California Law Enforcement Teletype System (CLETS), National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (NLETS) and various other local, state and federal systems. PSD monitor various burglary, robbery, trouble and fire alarms for campus locations.
Communications Training Program
New employees of UCLA PD Communications are placed in an intense four- to six-month training program with a Communications Supervisor or Lead Dispatcher. The training program consists of 4 phases: administrative policies and campus geography; call taking and alarms; emergency medical responses (EMT) and primary radio frequency. Within one year of his or her hiring date, the employee is sent to a three week Basic Dispatch Academy to meet California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) requirements.