Police Department Overview

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Updates

To Serve and Protect . . . More than just a Slogan
Niles Police Officers (l to r) Millin, Schoff, Stanton, Swanson, Glick, Lick, Kosten & Bosch

New Arrivals on Duty

Police Officer Ivery Cross (left) is the newest member of the Niles City Police Department.  Officer Cross is a Niles High School graduate and a graduate of Kalamazoo Valley Community College Police Academy.  

On the right is Canine Police Officer Sergeant Rigs Von Der Haus Foster (we call him Officer Riggs), a three-year old solid black German Shepherd of Czechoslovakian origin.  You'll always see him with his handler, Officer Shane Daniels.

Look What Community Sponsorships Can Do!

These children participated in the Niles City Police Department's "Fish with a Cop" Summer Program.  The program brings children of the Parks and Recreation's Summer Park Program together to participate in lots of fun activities while learning about safety issues. . . and the best part is everyone who wants gets to go fishing with the police officers who volunteer their time.  The main supporter of the "Fish with a Cop" program is our own local Wal-mart Store.  Program Coordinator Officer Kevin Kosten (far left) says that the Police Department has a lot of community supporters, but that Wal-Mart and Wal-mart executive Mary Jane Davis (far right) have been especially generous to this particular program providing everything from fishing gear and prizes for activities to gifts for each child.  Thank You Wal-mart!

And let's not forget one of the Best Fishing Holes in Niles. . . 
~ A BIG Thank You to the Spaulding Family for allowing us to use Spaulding Lake ~

Public Safety Answering Point
Awards of Excellence 

The Niles City Police Department operates a 911 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) which is responsible for 911 land line and cellular calls, as well as all other types of fire, ambulance, and police communications in southeast Berrien County. The southeast Berrien County area includes Buchanan City, Bertrand Township, Niles Township, and Niles City. The Niles PSAP also answers cellular calls from nearby townships in Cass County and dispatches calls in Cass County for the Michigan State Police and SMCAS ambulance service. 

The Niles PSAP is the designated back up PSAP for the Berrien County PSAP that is located in St. Joseph. If there was an incident that disrupted communications at either PSAP the other one is prepared to take over the necessary duties to keep emergency services operating in the county without any disruption in service.  (Photo at left shows {L to R} Berrien County 2007 911 Director Dave Agens, Niles Police Dispatchers Heather Tracey, Sally Dunlap, Lorena Lawton and Lt. Mike Brown, 2007 911 Board Chairman)

The Niles PSAP is operated twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week by nine full time and three part time dispatchers. In 2007 the Niles PSAP answered 14,144 911 calls. This was an 8% increase over 2006 totals. During 2007 the dispatchers sent officers on 32,925 calls for service, fire fighters on 1,061 calls for service, and SMCAS on 3,634 calls for service in Southeast Berrien County. Dispatchers receive training in emergency medical dispatching, how to handle high stress situations, communication skills, supervision, computer and other communication hardware and software, and many other subjects. 

Over the years Niles dispatchers have received many awards from the Berrien County Commissioners and the Berrien County 911 Board for their professional service. In 2007 Niles dispatcher Lawton was presented with the Berrien County Dispatcher of the Year Award for her work during a hostage situation and Niles dispatchers Dunlap and Tracey received recognition for their work throughout 2007. It was quite a privilege to have three dispatchers from Niles selected out of all the dispatchers in Berrien County. Your Niles PSAP dispatchers can be reached in any emergency simply by dialing 911. For non-emergencies dial 683-1313.

Dispatchers Get the Call First!

Dispatchers schedule and dispatch workers, equipment, or service vehicles to carry materials or passengers. Some dispatchers take calls for taxi companies, for example, or for police or ambulance assistance. They keep records, logs, and schedules of the calls that they receive and of the transportation vehicles that they monitor and control. In fact, they usually prepare a detailed report on all activities occurring during their shifts. Many dispatchers employ computer-aided dispatch systems to accomplish these tasks. All dispatchers are assigned a specific territory and have responsibility for all communications within that area. Many work in teams, especially dispatchers in large communications centers or companies. The work of dispatchers varies greatly, depending on the industry in which they work.

Police, fire, and ambulance dispatchers, also called public safety dispatchers or 911 operators, monitor the location of emergency services personnel from one or all of the jurisdiction’s emergency services departments. These workers dispatch the appropriate type and number of units in response to calls for assistance. Dispatchers often are the first people the public contacts when emergency assistance is required. If certified for emergency medical services, the dispatcher may provide medical instruction to those on the scene of the emergency until the medical staff arrives. 

Public service dispatchers work in a variety of settings—a police station, a fire station, a hospital, or, increasingly, a centralized communications center. When handling calls, dispatchers question each caller carefully to determine the type, seriousness, and location of the emergency. The information obtained is posted either electronically by computer or, with decreasing frequency, by hand. The dispatcher then quickly decides the priority of the incident, the kind and number of units needed, and the location of the closest and most suitable units available. When appropriate, dispatchers stay in close contact with other service providers—for example, a police dispatcher would monitor the response of the fire department when there is a major fire. In a medical emergency, dispatchers keep in close touch not only with the dispatched units, but also with the caller. They may give extensive first-aid instructions before the emergency personnel arrive, while the caller is waiting for the ambulance. Dispatchers continuously give updates on the patient’s condition to the ambulance personnel and often serve as a link between the medical staff in a hospital and the emergency medical technicians in the ambulance. 

The work of dispatchers can be very hectic when many calls come in at the same time. The job of public safety dispatchers is particularly stressful because a slow or an improper response to a call can result in serious injury or further harm. Also, callers who are anxious or afraid may become excited and be unable to provide needed information; some may even become abusive. Despite provocations, dispatchers must remain calm, objective, and in control of the situation. Dispatchers sit for long periods, using telephones, computers, and two-way radios. Much of their time is spent at video display terminals, viewing monitors and observing traffic patterns.  As a result of working for long stretches with computers and other electronic equipment, dispatchers can experience significant eyestrain and back discomfort.  Generally, dispatchers work a 40-hour week; however, rotating shifts and compressed work schedules are common. Alternative work schedules are necessary to accommodate evening, weekend, and holiday work and 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week operations.