Administration

 Departmental Overview:

The Emergency Communications Department (ECD) operates the Countywide consolidated emergency communications system.  Emergency and non-emergency call answering and dispatch services are provided to the County Sheriff, Probation Department, 11 of the 12 incorporated city police departments, fire agencies for all 12 cities, three County fire districts, the Monterey Regional Airport District, Salinas Valley State Prison, and California State University Monterey Bay Police Department.  These services are provided under the Agreement for 9-1-1 Emergency Communications Dispatch Services (9-1-1 Services Agreement).

The ECD is the primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the County of Monterey.  The ECD provides all emergency and non-emergency call taking services and dispatch of law enforcement and fire field units including status reporting and associated activity for after-hours dispatch of the public works crews.  The ECD also provides and maintains consoles and associated radio dispatch equipment located in its communications center.

We receive feedback from callers through surveys sent by text message. 

Programs and Functions:

The Department's administrative team is comprised of the Director, the Assistant Director, the Finance Manager, three Emergency Communications Managers who manage Fire, Law, and Training, a Public Records Custodian/GIS Manager, a Senior Department Information Systems Coordinator, a Department Information Systems Coordinator, and a Senior Secretary-Confidential.

The operations division is our largest division that is overseen by the Assistant Director and the Fire, Law, and Training Emergency Communications Managers followed by Shift Supervisors, Communications Dispatchers, and Trainees. 

The technical team consists of the Senior Department Information Systems Coordinator and the Department Information Systems Coordinator who are responsible for maintaining the computer aided dispatch system, emergency phone system, radio system, recorders, at both the primary and expanded centers, and PC equipment at 36 dispatch consoles.  They also coordinate and manage various building projects/maintenance and work closely with the information technology department as necessary.  They also provide technical support to the agencies we serve in the field.  

The Records Custodian provides public records as requested through the Public Records Request Act as well as records from public safety agencies.  The Records Custodian is also regularly subpoenaed to testify in court on the Department's behalf to verify records.  They are also the Geographical Information Systems point of contact.

Financial Structure:

The Emergency Communications Department manages and operates from three funds.

1. A Special Revenue Fund to provide emergency and non-emergency call answering and dispatch services to law enforcement, fire and emergency medical response agencies across the County. Costs are shared pursuant to the cost sharing formula in the 9-1-1 Service Agreement which allocates costs based on an equally weighted three-factor ratio of Population, Assessed Value, and Workload for each user agency.   For every dollar of cost, approximately 70 percent is collected as revenue from non-County users and 30 percent is paid by the County for service provided to the County Sheriff and Probation Department and to subsidize the Fire Districts costs. The Department bills these costs quarterly.
2. Another Special Revenue Fund for the Radio System Operations and maintenance and bills users' costs.  These costs are billed to 26 agencies based on the percentage of radios in use and are charged quarterly.  The County Information Technology Department manages the radio system through a separate service agreement.
3. A Capital Project Fund for Radio System projects and bills Radio System users for these project costs.  The County Information Technology Department manages the radio system projects through a separate service agreement.

Agencies we Serve:

CSUMB University Police

Del Rey Oaks Police Department

Gonzales Police Department

Greenfield Police Department

King City Police Department

Marina Police Department

Monterey County Sheriff's Department

Monterey Police Department

Pacific Grove Police Department

Salinas Police Department

Sand City Police Department

Seaside Police Department

Soledad Police Department

Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade

Carmel Fire Department 

Gonzales Fire Department 

Greenfield Fire Department

King City Fire Department 

Marina Fire Department 

Monterey County Regional Fire Protection District  

Monterey Fire Department 

North County Fire Protection District

Presidio of Monterey Fire Department

Salinas Fire Department 

Seaside Fire Department 

And Other Miscellaneous Agencies

The Emergency Communications Department manages and operates from three funds.

1. A Special Revenue Fund to provide emergency and non-emergency call answering and dispatch services to law enforcement, fire and emergency medical response agencies across the County. Costs are shared pursuant to the cost sharing formula in the 9-1-1 Service Agreement which allocates costs based on an equally weighted three-factor ratio of Population, Assessed Value, and Workload for each user agency.   For every dollar of cost, approximately 70 percent is collected as revenue from non-County users and 30 percent is paid by the County for service provided to the County Sheriff and Probation Department and to subsidize the Fire Districts costs. The Department bills these costs quarterly.
2. Another Special Revenue Fund for the Radio System Operations and maintenance and bills users' costs.  These costs are billed to 26 agencies based on the percentage of radios in use and are charged quarterly.  The County Information Technology Department manages the radio system through a separate service agreement.
3. A Capital Project Fund for Radio System projects and bills Radio System users for these project costs.  The County Information Technology Department manages the radio system projects through a separate service agreement.