The Nebraska State Patrol Communications Division is comprised of two Communications Centers, located in Lincoln and North Platte. Dedicated Communication Specialists, formally known as Dispatchers, staff these communications centers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
In the early days of the Nebraska State Patrol, troopers received their assignments by a flag that was displayed at local service stations and restaurants along the highway. If the flag was raised, the trooper then went to a phone and called the dispatcher to receive their assignment. Occasionally, local commercial radio stations would also broadcast a message for the troopers to call dispatch to receive an assignment. Troopers were also told to call the office by telephone at scheduled times each day to receive assignments.
The Nebraska State Patrol Communications Centers have come a long way since then. The State Patrol's statewide law enforcement radio system began in 1946 when the Lincoln office was equipped with a 250-watt transmitter and a 400 foot tower. Other offices were also equipped with the transmitter and 300 foot towers. State Patrol vehicles were then outfitted with 50-watt transmitters and receivers. The addition of radios vastly improved the effectiveness of traffic safety and enforcement, as well as public protection by speeding up apprehension of criminals, and the recovery of stolen property. In the 1960's, the first law enforcement computer system, which allowed for faster exchange of criminal information, arrived and forever changed the face and duties of a law enforcement dispatcher. From the first Western Union "ticker tape" type system to the Nebraska State Patrol's current Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) which was implemented in 2007; information that in the past could have taken days to receive is now available at a Communication Specialists fingertips in mere seconds.
NSP's current communications centers are able to handle radio traffic and communications for the entire state. The Lincoln Communications Center handles communications for Troop Areas A, B, and Headquarters Troop, which covers the eastern part of the state. The North Platte Communications Center handles communications for Troop Areas C, D, and E, which covers the central and western parts of the state.
Regardless of your location, you can always call *55 or 800-525-5555 to reach the nearst NSP Communications Center if you need help on the road or would like to report a dangerous or impaired driver.
Lincoln Communications
4600 Innovation Drive
Lincoln, NE 68521
(402) 471-4545
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North Platte Communications
300 W. South River Road
North Platte, NE 69103
(308) 535-8047 |
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