Communications Center
The Albany County Sheriff’s Office E911/Communications Center continues to provide effective and reliable support and services to the public safety agencies and citizens of Albany County despite the tough fiscal climate. There are many citizens and entities which benefitted over the past year because of the professional and dedicated assistance that was provided to them by the E911/Communications Center staff.
The Albany County Sheriff’s Office E911/Communications Center is also the station responsible for the management and administration of the 911 system throughout all of Albany County encompassing every jurisdiction within the county. Throughout 2013, the technology unit of the Albany County Sheriff’s Office E911 Program has effectively supported the technical needs of first responders throughout the County of Albany. The technology unit, which is housed in the Albany County Communications Center, implements and maintains cutting edge technical tools for first responders in multiple law enforcement and public safety agencies. The primary and secondary PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) that are supported by this unit are the Albany County Sheriff’s Office, the Albany Police Department, the Colonie Police Department, the Bethlehem Police Department, the Guilderland Police Department, the New York State Police at the Empire State Plaza, the Menands Police Department and the Coeymans Police Department. In addition to these PSAPs, this unit is responsible for technology that is deployed in over 50 different fire departments and emergency medical service departments within the County of Albany. The Technology Unit responded to over 2,700 requests for service during 2013. These requests were for the support and maintenance of nearly 80 different systems and applications. These systems and applications are classified into different tiers ranging from low priority to mission critical.
The Albany County Sheriff’s Office E911/Communications Center provides dispatch services to the Office of the Sheriff, the New York State Police, the City of Cohoes Police and Fire, the City of Watervliet Police and Fire, the Village of Green Island Police and Fire, 10 volunteer fire companies and 5 ambulance companies. The E/911 Communications Center also provides services, as needed, for several other state and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the Albany County Highway Department and the Albany County Probation Department.
The Albany County Sheriff’s Office E911/Communications Center is the primary E911 answering point for six towns, three villages and two cities. In two of these municipalities, 911 calls not requiring emergency medical dispatch are transferred upon receipt and determination. However, if the call is of a medical nature, then the Albany County telecommunicator must follow through with the call until the fire department or ambulance arrives on the scene.