The City of Morrow Emergency Communications Department utilizes industry leading technologies. One of the newest is the ability to track the City of Morrow Patrol cars. This technology allows for the closest unit to be dispatched to calls for service, thus providing a quicker response time. The Center is Phase I and Phase II compliant for wireless callers. This technology provides the latitude and longitude information enabling wireless calls to be tracked. The Center also utilizes the State of Georgia DOT cameras to monitor the traffic flow at numerous locations within the City of Morrow. The Center also contracts with Language Line Services which provides interpretation services in 170+ languages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This allows our non-English speaking residents and/or visitors the same level of service as our English speaking residents and/or visitors.

In case of an EMERGENCY can we find you?

Emergency Communications requests your assistance to help our Fire, EMS, and Police units in locating you. You can do this by having your street number visible from the street, and large enough to be seen at night (consider reflective numbers). Also, consider marking both sides of the mailbox (the mail delivery always comes from one direction, the emergency units could arrive from any direction) and consider marking the curb.

Remember, not all wireless 9-1-1 calls provide location information. To get help quickly, please be able to answer these questions:

Where is the emergency? Use a highway name, direction of travel, mile marker, landmark, intersection, exact address, etc.

What number are you calling from? Always give your area code and wireless phone number.

Exactly what happened? Clearly describe what has taken place. If reporting a crime, vehicle and suspect descriptions are important.

If using a phone without a service contract and the line is disconnected, you must redial 9-1-1 to reestablish contact.

---

CALEA Accreditation

The City of Morrow Communication Center is in the process of becoming a CALEA accredited agency.

The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., (CALEA®) was created in 1979 as a credentialing authority through the joint efforts of law enforcement's major executive associations:

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP);
National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE);
National Sheriffs' Association (NSA); and the
Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation Programs is to improve the delivery of public safety services, primarily by: maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners, covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives; establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing professional excellence.

Specifically, CALEA’s goals are to:

* Strengthen crime prevention and control capabilities
* Formalize essential management procedures
* Establish fair and nondiscriminatory personnel practices
* Improve service delivery
* Solidify interagency cooperation and coordination
* Increase community and staff confidence in the agency

The CALEA Accreditation Process is a proven modern management model; once implemented, it presents the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), on a continuing basis, with a blueprint that promotes the efficient use of resources and improves service delivery - regardless of the size, geographic location, or functional responsibilities of the agency.

This accreditation program provides law enforcement agencies an opportunity to voluntarily demonstrate that they meet an established set of professional standards which:

* Require an agency to develop a comprehensive, well thought out, uniform set of written directives. This is one of the most successful methods for reaching administrative and operational goals, while also providing direction to personnel
* Provide the necessary reports and analyses a CEO needs to make fact-based, informed management decisions
* Require a preparedness program be put in place - so an agency is ready to address natural or man-made critical incidents
* Are a means for developing or improving upon an agency's relationship with the community
* Strengthen an agency's accountability, both within the agency and the community, through a continuum of standards that clearly define authority, performance, and responsibilities
* Can limit an agency's liability and risk exposure because it demonstrates that internationally recognized standards for law enforcement have been met, as verified by a team of independent outside CALEA-trained assessors
* Facilitates an agency's pursuit of professional excellence

---

Public Education

The Morrow Emergency Communications Center has been active in educating Kindergarten - 2nd grades on how and when to call 911 and what to say when they call. We provide a call simulator machine and educational material. If you are interested in having a Communications Officer visit your class, contact Katherine Capps at 770-961-4000.

Day in the Park

The Day in the Park was a huge success. Our Center had a dunking booth and we recruited volunteers from the Communications Center and the Police Department to sit in it. We accepted donations for Secur’us House (Clayton County’s Battered Woman’s Shelter). Even though the weather turned cool and our volunteers for the dunking booth changer their minds, we still raised $150.00 which was presented to Pat Altemus, the Director of the Shelter, at the City Council meeting on May 22, 2007.

A special thank you to Sergeant Steve Crawford with the Fayetteville Police Department for bringing Fayetteville’s command vehicle. It was open for everyone to tour and get and idea of what is available to our City during an emergency or disaster situation. The vehicle is equipped with radios, computers, telephones, recording devices, mapping, televisions, and cameras for monitoring and recording. There is also an area for the Incident Command Staff to plan and monitor the ongoing situation.

2007 Law Enforcement Torch Run For Special Olympics

City of Morrow Emergency Communications Officer, Andrea Yates, ran in the 2007 Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics that came through the City Of Morrow on Thursday, May 24, 2007. This was an 8 ½ mile run that started at the Clayton County Police Headquarters and ended at Home Depot, Jonesboro Road and Interstate 285. All the participants had the opportunity to carry the lighted torch.