Welcome to the dispatch center for the Union County Sheriff's Office. The dispatch center is the main artery in which all calls into the sheriff's office for assistance are received. This includes the EMERGENCY 911 calls.

Emergency Coordinating officers answer hundreds of calls monthly and route to the appropriate office of the Sheriff or other emergency services such as Rescue and Fire.

The center houses numerous communications systems to relay emergency and non-emergency information quickly. Additionally, the center remains the main "warning point" for the National Weather Service and the Department of Homeland Security on matters affecting Union County and its citizens.

Recently, the sheriff's dispatch/communications center upgraded technology to better serve citizens when 911 calls are placed. A detailed computerized map interfaces with E-911 calls as they are received to accurately determine a caller's location. This assists emergency services and/or law enforcement to reach the caller more quickly. Enhanced technology and agreements with wireless carriers (cellular) also provide for "real-time" GPS (global positioning satellite) in some cases where a caller does not know their exact location.

The dispatch center interfaces with numerous county agencies serving as the combined dispatch center. In addition to radio interfaces with the Road department, Animal Control, Public Works, Rescue, Fire Departments and local hospitals, the Sheriff added the Union County School buses and set up a communications system whereby all the public schools now have direct contact with the center for use during emergencies. Union County remains the first Sheriff's office communications center in North-East Florida to provide this direct link to school administrators via portable radio as an added safety measure for schools!

The center recently agreed to host the state of Florida Inter-operability network as part of the ongoing preparedness in domestic security. This network allows for Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) connections to ANY law enforcement agency in the state as well as federal agencies. The dispatch center can readily connect, transmit and relay emergency information via radio over another agency channel. A large step in assisting agencies who may supply mutual aid during natural and/or man-made disasters. The Department of Homeland Security also maintains a "hot line" via satellite inside the center. This new warning system allows for communications between Union County Sheriff and the DHS. Citizens are reminded to post their 911 address on their place of residence to assure that emergency services can see the numbers. If you have any questions on where or how to post, or you need the numbers, you may call the E-911 Mapping center at 386-496-4300.