Technology

The CCC contains state-of-the-art computer systems to assist dispatchers with the important operations of the police and fire departments. One of the most valuable systems in the CCC is the Computer-Aided Dispatch or CAD.  The CAD system holds the information pertaining to all police and fire calls. For example, if the dispatcher receives a 9-1-1 call for an automobile accident, he or she will enter all of the information into the CAD regarding that accident. The dispatcher can then assign police officers and fire trucks to that call. With the click of a few buttons, the CAD will keep track of all of the police officers’ and firefighters’ activities while on that call (i.e. the times that they responded, what action they took, etc.)  The dispatchers do this for every police and fire call. CAD also contains several databases. One of the most important databases contains a listing of every street in Canfield, along with the address ranges and intersections for each street. This means that when police officers and/or firefighters are sent to an address, the dispatcher can immediately tell them the exact location of that address. For example, if the firefighters are responding to a certain address on Western Reserve Rd., the dispatcher can let them know that the address is between the Raccoon Rd. and Route 46 intersections.  Another database in CAD contains a listing of all of the businesses in Canfield.

The CCC is also one of the 9-1-1 answering points in Mahoning County. Because Mahoning County has enhanced 9-1-1, Canfield dispatchers are able to identify a 9-1-1 caller’s address and phone number on a computer screen as soon as the call is answered. With the click of one button, dispatchers also have the ability to transfer a 9-1-1 caller to other 9-1-1 centers in the Tri-County area. 

In 2008, Mahoning County 911 installed the CAD mapping system at each of it's dispatch centers including Canfield.  This system takes any call information entered into the CAD and immediately maps it on the dispatcher's computer screen.  More importantly, when someone calls 911 from a cell phone, the exact location of that caller now displays on the mapping system.  This aids Police and Fire personnel in locating callers who do not know where they are. 

One other system in the CCC is the state/national computer. This computer enables dispatchers to run license plates and obtain information on any person with a driver’s license in any state. Also contained in this system are entries on wanted/missing persons, stolen cars, criminal histories, weather reports and much more. Each dispatcher must complete extensive training on this system and take a test to become certified in able to operate it, with re-certification tests occurring every 2 years. Dispatchers can only access information from this system at the request of a police officer or for court purposes.