Public Safety Communication Center (PSCC) (District of Columbia)

In July 2001, the District of Columbia inaugurated the Public Safety Communication Center (PSCC) to improve 911 service for District residents, workers and visitors. Located on McMillan Drive, NW, the PSCC combines state-of-the-art technology with a modern facility that enhances agency coordination and improves employee productivity. For the first time, police and fire/emergency medical services communications personnel are located in the same facility to more efficiently answer and dispatch calls for service.

On October 1, 2004, management of the PSCC changed from a joint operation of the Metropolitan Police Department and the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department to a new District of Columbia government agency: the Office of Unified Communications (OUC).

The new agency's responsibilities includes all 911 and 311 call-taking, as well as all police, fire and medical dispatching. These operations were conducted at the PSCC until September 2006, when construction on the new facility on the east campus of Saint Elizabeth's Hospital was completed.

Both the MPDC and the Fire/EMS Department are maintaining on-site liaison units to the new OUC. However, the transfer of management responsibility to the OUC reduces the number of sworn police officers working in emergency communications, thus making more officers available for neighborhood patrols and other operational assignments.

The Public Safety Communications Center is the central 911 emergency call center for DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and Metropolitan Police Department. All individuals who do not have access to a vehicle and who cannot reach a transit location due to injury or health conditions will notify the PSCC, to alert them of their location and needs. The PSCC will notify MPD and Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department (FEMS) to respond. If additional support is needed the PSCC will notify the District’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the needed support. (reference: http://ddot.dc.gov/ddot/frames.asp?doc=/ddot/lib/ddot/information/emergency/7_Command-Control.pdf)

In addition to handling emergency call-taking and dispatching, the PSCC houses the Police Department’s 311 non-emergency number and the Telephone Reporting Unit. The TRU takes reports from callers whose incident does not require the dispatching of a police officer to the scene. The PSCC also includes a remote Special Operation Communications Center (SOCC) that can be used by emergency leadership personnel during a critical incident. Extensive training facilities are also part of the center.

Contact Information
310 McMillan Dr. NW Washington DC 20001-1032