911 & Dispatching Services  

Communications Division Services

A critical public service that cannot be taken for granted is the Jasper County Sheriff's Office Communications Division. Operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the Sheriff's Office Communications Division serves as the communications hub for Jasper County's law enforcement agencies. The Communications Division provides:

• 911 and emergency dispatching services for 17 agencies within Jasper County.
• Access to National Criminal Justice Information System (NJCIS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
• A primary dispatch point for county law enforcement, fire, medical, and emergency management services.

Mapping System Upgrades

Recent upgrades were also completed to the Phase II mapping system which enables operators to better locate a caller dialing 911 from a cell phone. The upgrade ensures that the Communications Division will be able to perform its function even when power to the building is out and also provided equipment to answer 911 and provide services at a different location, if needed, in the event of disaster.

Communications Staff

The Communications Division has a Communications Director and 9 Full-Time and 2 Part-Time operators that are certified by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy, and are certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers through the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch. Each operator is required to take a specific amount of training each year to keep these certifications up to date.

Jasper County 911 Calls

In Jasper County, all landline and a majority of wireless 911 calls are answered by the Jasper County Communications Center. Enhanced 911, or E-911, is a system which routes an emergency call to the 911 center closest to the caller, and automatically displays the caller's phone number and address. The Sheriff's Office 911 dispatcher will ask the caller to verify the information, which appears on his or her computer screen. 911 calls made from cell phones and other wireless devices will be routed to the nearest PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) as determined by the cell tower being used. If at all possible a location will be triangulated and shown on a map in the 9-1-1 Communications Center. Please remember that due to a variety of different factors an exact location cannot always be determined. Try to be aware of your surroundings when dialing 911 so you can aid the Communications Specialist in determining your exact location.

In 2018 the Jasper County Communications Division received over 41,528 calls for service. 911 is the lifeline for all residents throughout Jasper County and throughout the country. When used properly, it can make the difference in saving lives and preserving public safety.