Records and Communications

Records and Communications is responsible for the management of all records of the department in regard to the activities of the department in its law enforcement functions. Additionally the Florence Police Department houses the West Lane County Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) 911 Dispatch Center. This is where all 911 phones calls are received for the western region of Lane County. The mission of the 911 Public Safety Answering Point is to provide all people in Western Lane County with prompt, professional, competent and courteous access to public safety services and referral to social service agencies. We seek to enhance the quality of life by efficiently handling 911 calls and all other calls for service to help save lives, protect property, enhance the quality of life, reduce crime and educate our patrons.

The West Lane County Public Safety Answering Point for 9-1-1 provides twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week public safety emergency dispatch service, and is the focal point for the 911 telephone system. Dispatching is handled by one to two radio console positions which operate 24x7 and dispatch Siuslaw Fire and Rescue, West Lane Ambulance, the Tribal Police for the Confederated Tribes, Mapleton Fire, Swisshome-Deadwood Fire, and the Florence Police Department.

Managing police records is an extremely detailed and extensive responsibility to discharge. All reports that are created within the department by the officers must be filed and stored for ease in retrieval. Copies of reports must also be disseminated to the Municipal Court, to the City Prosecutor, and to the District Attorney’s office and other interested parties as required. The Records/Communications staff also enters and clear arrest warrants whenever they are received or whenever they are served by an arresting police officer.

Copies of reports must be prepared and disseminated to the public when not exempted under the Oregon Open Records Law. Requests for copies of a police report are usually handled within 24 business hours providing the report is cleared for release. Requests for reports must be made either in person or by mail with the fees enclosed. The fees charged to the public for records are indicated on the records request form available in our downloadable forms section.

If a search of records requires going back into archives and making copies, we charge the hourly rate of a Communications Officer  in addition to the cost of the individual reports. Inquiries as to these costs should be made at (541) 997-3515.