The University of California Santa Cruz Public Safety Dispatch Center is staffed with a Dispatch Coordinator and eight Dispatchers. All dispatchers are certified through the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.), a statewide organization established by the Legislature to set minimum selection and training standards for California law enforcement personnel.

The Public Safety Dispatch Center provides a wide variety of both emergency and non-emergency communication services to the campus, 24 hours a days, 7 days a week. The center is the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (P.S.A.P.) for campus 9-1-1 (Enhanced) emergency services, utilizing Computer Aided Dispatching (CAD) for UC Police and UC Fire Departments, and coordinating with the Santa Cruz Consolidated Emergency Communications Center (NetCom) for ambulance and other outside agency mutual aid services. In 2005, the Dispatch Center received and processed 10,624 calls for Police, Fire and Medical services.

In addition to E9-1-1, the Dispatch Center answers over 100 other phone lines including: Blue Light and Elevator Emergency Call Box Phones, Public Safety seven-digit emergency and non-emergency lines, General Maintenance Emergency line, Campus Safety Officer (CSO) line, and the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf.

See the table below for a list of contact phone numbers.

Along with Police, Fire and Medical, the Dispatch Center also provides call taking and dispatching services for the Animal Control Officer, Campus Safety Officers (CSO), Parking Enforcement Officers, Kiosk Gate Guards, Physical Plant/Cogeneration Plant, and College & University Housing Services.

The Dispatch Center directly monitors the systems for Security and Fire alarms located throughout the campus. They work closely with the Police, Fire and Campus Alarm Technicians to help maintain the systems’ optimal status. Various Utility and Science Department alarms are also routed through the Dispatch Center for notification to the appropriate personnel.