Communications

The Mitchell Emergency Communications Center provides Enhanced 911 Service to Davison, Aurora, Hanson, Hutchinson, McCook, and Brule Counties in South Dakota. Our communications system is designed to cover nearly 3,900 square miles, 125 miles of which Interstate 90 is heavily traveled, and serve a total population of 45,000.
In addition to dispatching to 6 sheriff's offices, 9 police departments, 20 fire departments, 11 ambulances services and 6 first responder/rescue squads, we also provide all radio communications and handle routine business calls for the Department of Public Safety which consists of Police, Fire, EMS, Traffic and Animal Control. We are located within the City Public Safety Center complex and dispatch over 16,000 calls per year.

Our staff is comprised of a director, 9 full time and 2 part time communication specialists. Our specialists work rotating 10-hour schedules. We are pleased to have our profession recognized through South Dakota's Law Enforcement Training Academy with an 80-hour certification program requiring successful completion within the first year of employment. Our communications specialists are also all certified in emergency medical dispatch, which allows them to give pre-arrival instructions in emergency medical situations.