911 & Dispatching Services

The Communication Division provides:

• 911 and emergency dispatching services for 17 agencies within Jasper County.
• Access to the National Criminal Justice Information System (NJCIS) and the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
• A primary dispatch point for county law enforcement, fire, medical, and emergency management services

Mapping System Upgrades

Recent upgrades were completed to our Phase II mapping system, enabling operators to better locate a caller dialing 911 from a cell phone. The upgrade ensures that the Communications Division will be able to perform its function even when power to the building is out and also provides equipment to answer 911 and provide services at a different location, if needed, in the event of a disaster.

Communications Staff & Training

The Communications Division has a Communications Director and nine full-time, and two part-time operators that are certified by the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa Law Enforcement Academy. They are also certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers through the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch. Each operator is required to take a specific amount of training each year to keep these certifications up to date.

911 Calls

In Jasper County, all landline and a majority of wireless 911 calls are answered by the Jasper County Communications Center. Enhanced 911, or E-911, is a system that routes an emergency call to the 911 center closest to the caller, and automatically displays the caller's phone number and address. The Sheriff's Office 911 dispatcher will ask the caller to verify the information, which appears on his or her computer screen.

911 calls made from cell phones and other wireless devices will be routed to the nearest PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) as determined by the cell tower being used. If at all possible, a location will be triangulated and shown on a map in the 9-1-1 Communications Center. Please remember that due to a variety of different factors, an exact location cannot always be determined. Try to be aware of your surroundings when dialing 911 so you can aid the Communications Specialist in determining your exact location.

In 2022, the Jasper County Communications Division dispatch assigned 38,318 calls for service. 911 is the lifeline for all residents throughout Jasper County and throughout the country. When used properly, it can make the difference in saving lives and preserving public safety.