Support Services Division
Major Ed Turner
Support Services Division Commander
Emergency Communications Center
The Independence Police Department’s Communications Unit provides 24-hour coverage for enhanced 9-1-1. It is the primary answering point for all emergency calls and dispatches for police, fire and animal services. The unit monitors the Independence School District camera system, and the cameras in the jail. The unit maintains high standards and continues to improve by attending continuing education at the Mid-America Regional Council. The unit also supplies an instructor for several classes offered at the Mid-America Regional Council. The unit utilizes the Document Management System to maintain and remain familiar with unit policies and procedures.
Other telecommunicator responsibilities include:
- locating responsible persons by telephone for any type of call when police or fire personnel at an incident scene determine such a response is needed,
- wants and warrants computer inquiries in local, regional, state, and national criminal data bases,
- TDD emergency call telephone system for hearing-impaired persons,
- preparation and mailing of billings for false alarms,
- creating and responding to law enforcement network teletype requests,
- establishing and maintaining mutual aid communications with surrounding jurisdictions,
- participation in Citizens’ Police Academy instruction.
Detention Unit
The Detention Unit is a short-term holding facility that receives and processes adult prisoners arrested by officers in Independence, and in other jurisdictions on Independence municipal warrants. Prisoners are kept in a secure environment until their lawful release. Juveniles that are arrested are not held in the jail facility, but their paperwork is processed by Detention Unit staff.
The Detention Unit is a 19 bed facility that temporarily holds inmates up to 36 hours. Inmates that spend more time than 36 hours or are committed by the court sent to the Johnson County Missouri Jail s that is currently under contract with the city. In 2014 the Detention Unit processed 11,865 inmates and had a daily average of 50 people a day being held in the contract facility. The Detention Officers book arrests, photograph offenders, and collect DNA samples in compliance with State Law.
Police Records Unit
The Records Unit staff consists of 22 staff, two supervisors and one administrator. The front desk has a total of 8 employees who maintain the desk area and serve the general public by completing police reports, and answering questions. The Records staff has nine employees to provide technical contact work in the processing of reports for a variety of records including stolen autos, missing persons, fraud, and forgery. The Warrant Service staff’s two employees handle receiving and returning warrants, subpoenas, and other pertinent court and jail papers. The Record Unit provides and disseminates various police reports for officers and for the general public. They provide information from internal and external data bases concerning criminal records and warrant information. In 2013 the records unit accomplished the following:
- Issued 28,510 city and state warrants;
- Served 24,699 warrants;
- Entered 101,122 warrant checks;
- Sold $33,942.24 police records to the public;
- Handled 63,796 desk reports and customer assistance to the public;
- Handled 100,699 telephone inquiries;
- Handled 58,373 mail and fax inquiries;
- Served 57,721 citizen assist;
- Collected $767,286.48 bond money
- for Independence and outside agencies.