The 911 Center at the Lancaster Police Department consists of nine E-911 operators.  They are charged with the responsibility for answering 911 and dispatching calls for service to police and fire personnel.

The 911 Center is equipped with Enhanced 911 which traces the incoming calls, computerized Motorola Centracom ELITE© Base Station Radios, Computer Aided Dispatching with Power Mapping©, National Crime Information Center 2000 Computer System©, and Computerized instant playback equipment.

Each Telecommunications Officer receives specialized training at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy in Columbia, SC for NCIC 2000 and E-911 Telecommunications Specialist.

The Communication’s Division is divided up into four teams of two TCO’s.  There is also one part-time TCO who supplements as needed. The teams work permanent twelve-hour shift.

Telecommunications Officer answer calls for service for the Lancaster Police Department and the Lancaster Fire Department. Calls for EMS are transferred to the Lancaster County Public Safety Communications Center for dispatching.

The Non-emergency number is 803-283-3313
911 should only be called for an actual emergency.

All new Telecommunications Officers must successfully complete the 80 hour Basic Telecommunications Operator Training certification at the SC Criminal Justice Academy, the SC Law Enforcement Division’s 40 hour National Crime Information Center (NCIC) certification, and the Lancaster Police Department’s Communications Training and Evaluation Training Program.