The Egg Harbor Township Communications Page

Three new full time employees and four new part time employees were hired in the Communications Center in 2003. The staffing increased by one person. We now have one Communications Supervisor, 13 full time employees and 6 part time employees who answered nearly 70,000 calls for the Egg Harbor Township Police Department and over 23,000 calls for the Northfield Police Department in 2003. That is an increase of over 15% from the previous year. Besides doing Criminal History and Division of Motor Vehicle Inquiries, the Communications Center also dispatches for the Egg Harbor Township Rescue Squad, the Northfield Rescue Squad, five Egg Harbor Township fire companies (three of which have two Stations) and the Northfield Fire Company. In 2003, we no longer dispatched for the Atlantic County Fire Departments. In 2004, our record keeping systems will increase for Emergency Medical Service Calls with the advent of a paid Rescue Squad for billing purposes.

In 2003, the Communications Center underwent a 9-1-1 system upgrade. This new state of the art technology doubles the amount of Emergency calls we are able to handle at each dispatch station, and the digital technology will be able to record and print emergency call information. It should last well into the next decade. This year we implemented a Web based telephonic and radio recording system which will allow instant call back recording as well as real time recording of multiple radio channels and telephone lines onto Compact Disc for Administrative and Court purposes.

In 2004, the State is scheduled to conduct an audit of the Department’s National Crime Information Computer Terminal. Presently, the Police Department has 95 enlisted limited access personnel and 25 Civilian operators. That is a 15% increase from the previous year. We currently have one terminal, one printer and 35 mobile data terminals assigned to marked patrol vehicles. We also have a Service Agreement with the City of Northfield to provide Criminal History, Division of Motor Vehicles and National Crime Information to them. The periodic state review ensures our compliance with State and Federal laws and regulations.

This year we anticipate the appointment of a second Communications Center Supervisor. This will provide more direct supervision and in conjunction with that persons’ work schedule, ensure a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, full staff coverage of the Communications Center.

The Communications Center recently moved into a retrofitted facility in conjunction with the new Police Department addition. This newly acquired additional space is in anticipation of possible expansion to prepare for more working consoles to keep up with the municipalities growth.

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