Communications Dispatch and 9-1-1

In any threatening situation requiring BSO intervention, dial 9-1-1.

In non-emergency situations contact:

The Broward Sheriff's Office at:
(954) 765-4321

The Broward Sheriff's Office at Pompano Beach:
(954) 786-4200

The Broward Sheriff's Office provides 9-1-1 intake, teletype and dispatch services for all unincorporated areas of Broward County, 23 law enforcement municipalities, 20 fire rescue municipalities and numerous special patrol areas including the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades, BSO Department of Detention, Court Services and other areas.

The division functions 24 hours a day, 7days a week, 365 days a year and comprises 38 supervisors and nearly 400 specially trained public safety telecommunicators who process nearly 1 million emergency and 1.5 million non-emergency calls per year. In 2010, approximately 65.5% of all 9-1-1 calls placed in Broward County were answered by BSO operators at one of our 3 communications centers located at The Ron Cochran Public Safety Complex, The Fort Lauderdale Police Department and the Pompano Beach District XI Station.

The Regional Communications Division has been recognized as an accredited dispatch center by the Commission on Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch (NAED).

Regional Communications E911 operators provide Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) services as a first responder for all medical calls for service. All call takers are specifically trained to relay important medical instructions in life-threatening situations. These instructions include CPR, abdominal thrust maneuver, and labor/delivery protocols.

The Teletype Units at the BSO dispatch sites operate the links to the state and federal data bases and process nearly 500,000 requests annually generated by deputy sheriffs and police officers. Typically, they seek information on missing persons, lost or stolen auto tags, stolen vehicles, stolen articles and driver's license status.

The 9-1-1 Audio Evidence Unit is comprised of three telecommunicators and one supervisor responsible for maintaining all audio recordings of police and fire rescue communications, 9-1-1 and non-emergency telephone requests. Governed by state law, the Audio Evidence Unit produces recordings for the state attorney’s office, private attorneys, public safety agencies, private investigators, residents and insurance companies. Over 6,000 requests were processed in 2010.

The Communications Training Division consists of three instructors and one supervisor, all of which maintain instructor certifications through The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) as well as The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO). The Communications Training Division is responsible for conducting the Communications Training Academy, a ten week course mandated for all newly hired Public Safety Telecommunicators.

The Communications Training Academy curriculum exceeds state requirements and has been certified through The Florida Department of Health/Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. It is a comprehensive curriculum that covers The National Incident Management System (NIMS), Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), CPR, critical incident call taking as well as fundamentals such as caller interrogation techniques, computer aided dispatch software and Enhanced 9-1-1 telephone systems. Upon successful completion of The Communications Training Academy, all employees are certified as Public Safety Telecommunicators through the State of Florida.

The Quality Improvement Unit is a team of four telecommunicators and one Supervisor who are responsible for maintaining compliance with the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch (NAEMD) protocols. Their duties include reviewing; scoring and providing feedback on a minimum of 3% of the divisional monthly rescue call volume.

Click here for a map of BSO's 9-1-1 and dispatch areas.

If you're interested in a career as a BSO Communications Operator, click here for more information.