During the 1940s and 1950s police communications continued to be upgraded, and the new 1962 SAPD Headquarters at 214 W. Nueva included a new and modern Communications Room with more equipment and a separate Dispatchers' booth. In 1972, when a second story was added on to HQ, Communications was enlarged again. In 1974 portable police radio units were introduced for the first time to SAPD patrol, making it possible for officers to carry radios with them even away from the patrol cars. Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) was also introduced during the 1970s. Radio transmission was changed from VHF (Very High Frequency) to UHF (Ultra High Frequency) to minimize interference problems.

Communications Innovations Emergency 911 Service: In 1979 the Universal Emergency Telephone Number 911 was implemented in metropolitan San Antonio, with the equipment and telephone clerks operating out of SAPD Communications. 911 was designed with two major features:    (1) It is a 3-digit number that is easily remembered in an emergency, even by children; and    (2)When dialed, the registered address and owner of the phone making the call is displayed on a screen in the Communications Room, making it possible for the Dispatcher to relay the location of the emergency immediately to the appropriate response unit (whether Police, Fire or EMS/ambulance). MDTs : During the 1980s technological improvements continued to be made in the SAPD Communications system, with the most significant being the introduction in 1983-1985 of MDT's (Mobile Data Terminals), or on-board computers and communications systems, in SAPD patrol cars. Through the MDT computer patrol officers can receive detailed information on locations to which they are dispatched, information on wanted persons, information on drivers licenses or vehicle registrations, all displayed on the on-board screen. Previously, this information was relayed verbally, over the radio, from dispatcher to officer.
	ABOVE: MDT unit with monitor, keyboard, and microphone. BELOW: Officer using MDT in patrol car

During the 1980s through the 1990s, the call load on the Communications Unit increased from an average of 600,000 a year to nearly 800,000 calls by 1999. During 2000, the SAPD Communications Unit received over 2,200 calls for police services a day, plus receiving and re-routing calls for Fire and EMS services.

	The photo on the LEFT is a view of the Communications Room in 1997, with Dispatchers' consoles on left, and Intake/911 Operators on right.
	This 1997 photo shows Intake computers (with smaller 911 monitors) on left and Dispatch on the right. The strong green tint of the photos is due to the low-glare lighting installed in the Communications Room.

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