Communications Division

In an Emergency Dial 9-1-1


9-1-1 calls are now answered by the City of Westbrook


The mission of the Falmouth Public Safety Communications Center is to provide rapid and convenient access to public safety for the citizens of the towns that we provide dispatching services for, or those passing through our jurisdiction. We shall strive to send the appropriate response to their calls for assistance in a timely manner. We shall offer our assistance to all other agencies, when requested and when within our means.


In 2010 the Falmouth Communications Center began providing dispatching services for the town of Yarmouth.  With 8 full time communications personnel the center provides 24/7 public safety communications to the departments and citizens of the three communities.


The Public Safety Dispatchers perform a vital function within the Department. They must have the ability to be calm when talking to emotionally upset or irate individuals or when confronted with life and death situations. Dispatchers must listen carefully, simultaneously distinguishing between, and monitoring, multiple radio transmissions and telephone conversations. They also must remember past calls and events and relay correct information to officers in the field. Working under pressure, Dispatchers must exercise good judgment and make sound decisions in highly charged emergency situations.


In the formative years of the Falmouth Police Department dispatchers worked with equipment that met the needs of a community that was essentially still a rural area with a very low volume of calls for service. Unfortunately the department is unable to identify the dispatcher in this historical photo, but as the photo of our dispatch center in the 1960’s demonstrates the working conditions and equipment have changed dramatically. The communications center, which dispatches for the Police, Fire and EMS Departments, is staffed 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Currently our staffing level consists of eight full time and four reserve dispatchers who work rotating eight-hour shifts.


Unlike the equipment in the photo the communications center has state of the art computer, telephone and radio systems to help meet the needs of the citizens and our public safety officers in a more expeditious manner. The records management and CAD (computer aided dispatch) systems are continuously upgraded to remain up to date.

All dispatchers receive extensive training through our Field Training Officer/Dispatcher program and are certified by the State of Maine as Certified Terminal Operators.

The Department requests that when calling in an EMERGENCY, call 9-1-1 which will be answered by Westbrook Public Safety, but when calling for a business related issue or to speak to an officer please utilize 781-2300. Residents of Yarmouth  should continue to use the published non-emergency numbers for non-emergency situations.  Calling 9-1-1 in a non-emergency situation may prevent our Public Safety Dispatchers from answering a true emergency call as quickly as they could have.

As well as providing dispatching services for the police, fire and EMS divisions, the communications division also provides the following:

  • Reassurance program, which is a program for senior citizens living on their own to call in every day and let the public safety personnel that they are well
  • Monitor security cameras at town and school facilities
  • Assist the public with concealed handgun permits, issue burning permits, issue motor vehicle inspection permits, accept requests for police reports and provide assistance to citizens who come ot the police department for help
  • The communication center is also the keeper of "Tipsoft" which is a system for the anonomous reporting of underage drinking and drug activity

Located in the lobby across from the communications center is a drug disposal box.  Citizen may bring prescription drugs that they no longer want and leave them here for disposal.  PLEASE!  NO LIQUIDS OR SHARPS!