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Communications & Records Unit

Overview

The Communications unit is staffed with eleven (11) full-time positions which include seven (7) Police Service Aides, two (2) Lead Police Service Aide’s, a Communications Records Supervisor and Communications Records Manager. 

The agency operates its own communication center 365 days a year providing police dispatching for thirty-four designated sworn positions. The Oakland Housing Authority Police Department Communication’s Unit receives calls that impact OHA management, employees, residents and/or visitors of OHA properties located throughout the City of Oakland. Communications staff are responsible for obtaining call information, determining the priority level of requests for service and mitigating those calls by dispatching OHAPD officers as well as other resources to include medical, fire or other law enforcement responses. The agency does not provide full-service policing to its population and operates as a supplemental policing entity to the City of Oakland Police Department (OPD).  The OPD Community Unit serves as the primary law enforcement agency in the City of Oakland.

Dial 911 in any emergency.  An emergency is any serious situation where a police officer, fire fighter, or emergency medical help is needed right away. If you are calling from an Authority Facility PBX it is necessary to dial 9-911 (dialing 9 to get an outside line).    

For Police related situations it is important to remember that the Oakland Housing Authority Police Department is not vested with 911 responsibility, it is the sole responsibility of the City of Oakland Police.  

  • Serious crimes in progress.   
  • poisoning.   
  • drowning.   
  • stabbing.   
  • choking.   
  • unconsciousness.   
  • life threatening situations.   
  • shooting or display of weapons.   
  • fires.   
  • motor vehicle accidents or major traffic and street obstructions.   
  • injuries requiring emergency medical attention.   
  • hazardous chemical spills.   
  • fire alarms, smoke detectors or carbon monoxide alarms that are sounding.   
  • sparking electrical hazards.   
  • smoke in a building.   

…or any other emergency.  

Do not dial 911 for general information or non-emergency purposes such as:

  • power outages during a storm.    
  • barking dogs.    
  • lost pets.    
  • finding a towed vehicle.    
  • asking directions.    
  • inquiring about school openings and closures.    
  • reporting a blocked driveway, obstructed hydrant, etc.    
  • reporting a noise complaint.   
  • asking about traffic tickets.  
  • seeking information from a police or fire office. asking about a late school bus.   
  • checking the weather.  
  • reporting garbage problems or littering.   
  • reporting street lights out.   
  • reporting found hypodermic needles.   
  • reporting suspected drug dealing.  
  • reporting suspected child abuse not in progress.   
  • reporting public health problems (nonmedical)  
  • What is your emergency?   
  • What is the location of the emergency? (address, street name, house/apartment number)   
  • When did this happen?   
  • What is your name?   
  • What is the phone number you are calling from?   
  • How many patients?   
  • What is on fire?  
  • Do you need a law enforcement officer?   
  • Is the patient conscious?   
  • Can you get out of the house?   
  • Are you in immediate danger?   
  • Is the patient breathing? Normally?   
  • Are there any other problems with the patient?   
  • Suspect description?   
  • Vehicle description?   
  • License number?   
  • Suspect’s direction of travel?   
  • Did you see any weapons?   
  • How many suspects?  

Stay calm.  Dial 911.  Either leave the phone hanging or make some sort of noise to let the dispatcher know there is a real emergency. Your address is provided to the call taker and they can go ahead and dispatch police, fire or medical assistance to your location even if they do not hear you speak.

If you are in your vehicle, pull off to the side of the road.  Dial 911. CHP receives all 911 calls from Cellular phones. Tell the call-taker the location of the emergency and your call-back number. Some cellular phones may not have the ability to inform the 911 dispatcher of your identity or location or (in some cases) your cell phone number. Be patient. Cellular/wireless calls are not always automatically routed to the nearest CHP Station. Often times you may need to be transferred outside your service area. Cellular 911 calls are FREE! 

Dialing 911 is an immediate way to contact local emergency services (law enforcement, fire or medical) during an emergency.  The 911 system is intended to become a nationwide emergency telephone number as a public service with the primary objective of preserving life and property.  Ideally, nearly every American citizen, and visitor to this country, who has access to a telephone, may summon aid by dialing this simple three-digit number, regardless of location, familiarity with an area, time of day or type of emergency.  The 911 system is a “team” of professional men and women who are on call 24 hours-a day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year.  These people are trained to assist in getting emergency help to you as quickly as possible.  

In the City of Oakland all 911 calls are sent to the Oakland Police Departments Communications Center.  The Oakland Housing Authority does not receive 911 calls which originate from Authority-owned property and encourages all citizens of Oakland to use the 911 system for all valid calls for emergency service.    

  • There is only one number to remember, so in an emergency you won’t have to look up the number for police, fire or EMS (Emergency Medical Service).   
  • Using 911 eliminates the need to determine which emergency response agency to call.  
  • Enhanced 911 technology displays your calling location so you don’t have to speak in order for the dispatcher to know your address.   
  • All emergency agencies have devices called a TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) to communicate with hearing impaired callers.  

The emergency number 911 can be dialed from any telephone and will go directly to the Public Safety Answering Point, which for the City of Oakland is the Oakland Police Department.  Special computers and monitors display the location and phone number where the 911 call originated, as well as the phone number, address, apartment, or lot number (if necessary) and the name of the telephone service subscriber.  

The 911 call taker will ask questions about your emergency and determine what type of emergency response agency will best meet your needs.  You may be asked to “stay on the line” while you are transferred to the appropriate response agency.   

It is important to remember that these questions ARE NOT DELAYING THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE!  Help is being sent even while you are talking to us.  In order for us to help you, you must help us obtain all the necessary information to process the call.  From this point the dispatcher may ask a series of questions directed to the status of the patient and offer medical intervention as to how you as the caller can aid the patient.  Always attempt to be as calm as possible, you are an important part of providing help to those in need.  

The Records Unit is a vital part of the Police Department as it is the first point of contact for many Oakland Housing Authority residents and visitors. Those who walk through our doors are greeted by the agency’s professional Records & Communications team. Victims of crime, or those needing assistance (after being involved in a police incident, accident, or having their vehicle towed), receive aid, either on the telephone or at the front counter.

The Records Unit is responsible for report management and review all paperwork and reports filed by Officers for completeness and accuracy. The reports include arrest reports and crime reports that are disseminated within a strict timeframe and documentation prepared for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office for pre-trial review and charging. In addition, the Records unit also handle criminal and civil subpoenas, warrants, provide assistance to outside police agencies, process requests from the District Attorney, and perform monthly audits. Several local, State, and Federal criminal computer systems rely on the accuracy and completeness of the Records Division’s work and timely data entry processes.

If you need to obtain a police report, call 510-535-3100 or fill out the records request form attached.

Records Request Form

Jackie Mesterhazy

Communications & Records Manager

T: (510) 535-3129

jmesterhazy@oakha.org