Dispatch

Overview

The center of every law enforcement agency is the dispatch / communications center. The Watonwan County Communications Center is the answering point for all 9-1-1 calls and dispatches for the following agencies:

The Communication Center also takes after hour calls for the City of St. James Light Department, Street Department, Water Plant, Wastewater Treatment Plant, and Human Services.

Severe Weather

The Communication Center is the severe weather warning point for Watonwan County. Warning sirens are activated for St. James, Darfur, Madelia, Butterfield and Odin. These sirens are tested on the first Wednesday of each month.

Dispatch Resources

Dispatchers utilize various resources that include Telecommunications Teletype (TTY), National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS), Statewide Offender Locator, Statewide Supervision, Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), and GEO COM Mapping System.

The Communications Center is open and staffed 24/7, 365 days a year, to assist everyone who calls for information or assistance.