DISPATCH

THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE DISPATCH CENTER

is an integral element to the Sheriff’s Office and in maintaining public safety in the community. In the last year, dispatchers were designated as first responders in the state of California, and rightly so: dispatchers are often the first point of contact that the public has when seeking help from law enforcement or medical aid. The dispatchers often speak to callers on their very worst day: when they must call 9-1-1 because a loved one is having a medical emergency, when an argument escalates to violence, or when there is a mental health emergency.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center is a primary Public Safety Answering Point responsible for all 911 calls in the County of San Luis Obispo, as well as the cities of In addition to daily operations, dispatchers also have a Tactical Dispatch Team. This team responds in the field to high-priority extended calls for service, often calls that also necessitate a Search and Rescue (SAR) or Special Enforcement Detail (SED) callout. The Tactical Dispatch Team responds to the field with the deputies to assist in recording communications and times, facilitates additional resources, and serves as primary radio contact in the field so as not to disrupt regular radio operations on Sheriff’s patrol radio.

The Sheriff’s Dispatch Center normally participates in community outreach programs such as the 911 for Kids Program but was unable to participate in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They continued to serve the community by leading the way in 911 developments with the use of the RAVE panic button in school systems, Smart 911, Reverse 911, text to 911, and Rapid Deploy mapping.

Arroyo Grande and Morro Bay. The Sheriff’s Office also maintains communication and dispersal of resources to the citizens of these areas, including law enforcement, paramedics, and numerous county and state departments. The Sheriff’s Office is staffed 24 hours a day and 365 days a year with EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatch) certified dispatchers.

In 2021, the Sheriff’s Dispatch Center answered more than 300,000 phone calls, averaging over 22,000 calls per month. The total number of calls was comprised of 56,657 911 calls, 209,825 administrative calls, and over 33,518 emergency line calls. Of the calls answered, there were 106,827 law enforcement calls for service generated and 26,751 medical calls.

THE 911 CALLS WERE ANSWERED IN 15 SECONDS OR LESS, 99% OF THE TIME, SURPASSING THE CALIFORNIA STATE STANDARD OF 95%.