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Enhanced 9-1-1

Mark Winters, Director, E 9-1-1 and Information Systems
(716) 858-8441

Law Enforcement Communications (E - 9 1 1)
(Enhanced 9-1-1 and County-wide Radio)

The Law Enforcement Communications Division supports an immediate response to emergency calls received through the E 9-1-1 system. With Erie County's Enhanced 9-1-1 services starting in 1988, CPS established on-going support through 17 Primary 9-1-1 Centers and 7 Secondary Centers currently serving approximately 1.2 million people.

Anticipating needs with the expanded use of cellular phones, all E 9-1-1 equipment was upgraded to MAARS telephone equipment in January 1996, preparing the system to be ready to receive a 20-digit data signal that will be necessary for wireless (cellular) 9-1-1 calls.

The Communications Division is also responsible to maintain a Radio System in Erie County, that is used for Police Communications throughout the County. This is achieved with a Northern Antenna Site located in the Town of Tonawanda and a Southern Antenna Site located in the Town of Concord. These sites are also used in the county's Police Mobile Data System and Automatic Vehicle Locator (AVL) System, that was implemented by CPS' Information Systems Division.

In addition to its other responsibilities, this division also maintains the Enhanced 9-1-1 database, completing the additions and changes as reported to the E 9-1-1 Address Verifier. Cross comparison is performed on the entire record system twice a year to maintain quality control of the data contained within the address file.

Addresses used in the system are generated by this database. As the information is added to the database, any call received from a telephone that is supported by Verizon, will generate the name, address and phone number of the caller. This information is automatically displayed on a terminal at the complaint writer's desk.

Central Police Services Communications Division personnel also staff the E 9-1-1 Center at the City of Buffalo Police Department. These personnel including one Deputy Director, 7 Senior Complaint Writers, 21 Complaint Writers and 8 Part-Time Complaint Writers process approximately 600,000 emergency and non-emergency calls per year.