Improving Service & Enhancing Public Safety

Inside Owen Sound Police Service’s new emergency communications centre

By Suzanne Bell-Matheson and Chris Hill, Owen Sound Police Service

Photo credit: Owen Sound Police Service.

INTRODUCTION

Emergency telecommunications are a vital component of public safety, serving as the critical link between the public and first responders during emergencies. Across Ontario, municipal and regional police services typically operate their own emergency communications centre or share resources with neighbouring services.

The Owen Sound Emergency Communications Centre (OSECC), as part of the Owen Sound Police Service (OSPS), has been providing professional radio communications to emergency services for more than 30 years across Ontario. It currently serves a population of 370,000 across 28 municipalities, two Indigenous communities and 48 different locations. Depending on each agency’s requirements, OSECC provides 911 services, call taking and/or dispatching or centrally hosted NG911 call handling.

Photo credit: Owen Sound Police Service.

Recently, the OSECC underwent a relocation and expansion within Owen Sound Police Service headquarters. The new state-of-the-art facility will help the centre meet growing service demands and better serve our communities.

SERVING FIRST RESPONDERS

The OSECC is both a primary and secondary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). As a primary PSAP, 911 calls are routed directly for Grey and Bruce County, and all six of the police agencies served: Owen Sound Police Service, Cobourg Police Service, Saugeen Shores Police Service, Port Hope Police Service, West Grey Police Service and Hanover Police Service.

As the secondary PSAP for fire departments in Huron and Perth Counties, the 911 calls handled by OSECC are transferred from another primary PSAP for OSECC to complete the dispatching process. OSECC also dispatches for Grey County Roads Department after hours and provides administration and maintenance for the Grey County Radio Project. The Owen Sound Police Service and the OSECC play an active role in the Emergency Plan for Grey County, as well as the City of Owen Sound’s Emergency Plan.

The OSECC has a 911 system that allows for dispatchers to communicate to the deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or speech impaired (DHHSI) community within all the jurisdictions served through the use of a TTY machine (Teletype device) or text messaging during an emergency.

The OSECC is staffed by eight fulltime and 12 part-time communicators, along with switchboard operators, management and IT support. The OSECC has been a leader across Canada in developing a NG911 solution and was the first in Canada to transfer an Enhanced Incident Data Object (data transferred to another PSAP during a transfer/conference in NG911). Due to this early implementation, OSECC has grown its capacity and service as an NG911 host agency for many other emergency service providers.

There are still unknowns that may require more resources, and change management is ongoing to meet the ever-evolving technology and innovation available to better serve our communities. To date, this hosted NG911 solution is servicing an additional 150,000 citizens in Ontario, leading to a combined population of over 500,000 for the OSECC and its technical resources.

While the backup dispatch facility for the OSECC was upgraded in 2022, the primary site lacked room for expansion and some modern requirements such as additional capacity for training/mentoring and the ability to keep the administrative and emergency dispatch in close proximity for streamlined communications. Challenges with limited space and the feasibility of upgrading existing power and communications equipment in the previous communications centre led to the requirement for a modern and future-capable location.

OVERVIEW OF THE NEW CENTRE

The OSECC officially opened on October 29, 2024. The communications centre features eight full dispatch desks (radio and NG911) with two call taker positions (NG911). The desks have independent work surface and monitor height adjustments as well as lighting, heating and cooling to provide an optimal workspace for communicators working 12-hour shifts. The centre includes the following new features:

• Redundant heating and cooling (two separate rooftop units with independent venting), plus radiant heating ensures the space remains functional despite any single system failing;

Photo credit: Owen Sound Police Service.

• Powered by a renovated building-wide Uninterrupted Power System and Generator;

• Four large displays feature weather alerts, road closures, fire and police responding units and 911 service delivery information including performance; and

• A new supervisor office allows for quality assurance of the centre.

Recently, the OSECC has paired with RapidSOS to provide enhanced 911 data from smartphone devices including real-time map tracking as well as pending integration of data from fire departments. Additionally, the OSECC has purchased APCO Intellicom for quality assurance through its Hexagon CAD Dispatch software.

Ultimately, the enhanced area will be an improved work environment for communicators by providing them the tools necessary in a modern dispatch environment, including physical comfort, reliability of systems, analytics of 911 calls, expansion space in case of critical incidents to allow for more dispatchers concurrently, plus mentoring space.

According to Amy Byers, dispatcher at Owen Sound Police, working at the OSECC has been a fantastic experience. “The state-of-the-art facilities and tools make every task smoother and more efficient. The team is highly supportive, and management prioritizes collaboration, ensuring everyone feels heard and valued,” said Byers. “We work in a fast-paced environment that requires growth and adaptation, and the new centre helps to facilitate that. The centre not only enhances internal communication but also significantly improves our response time and service quality.”

Overall, the new Owen Sound Emergency Communications Centre represents a significant step forward for the police service, its emergency service partners and the community. Enhanced operational efficiency will allow more coordinated responses to incidents. Staff will benefit from cutting-edge technology and a more streamlined and comfortable work environment, increasing their well-being and enabling them to perform their roles more effectively. Partners in emergency services will experience improved collaboration, resulting in more seamless multi-agency efforts.

Suzanne Bell-Matheson is the Director of Corporate Services at Owen Sound Police Service and can be reached at sbell-matheson@owensoundpolice.com.Chris Hill is the Director of IT Services for the Owen Sound Police Service and can be reached at chill@owensoundpolice.com.

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