The Department of Emergency & Customer Communications (DECC) is the Public Safety Answering Point for all emergency services within the City of Alexandria. All 9-1-1 calls are routed through DECC, along with 311 & non-emergency telephone calls of varying concerns and requests. DECC provides 24-hour, two-way radio communications and other essential services to police, sheriff, fire, and other local public safety departments.
Our Mission
To provide a safe and secure environment by facilitating Police, Fire, and Medical dispatch to preserve and protect the lives and property of all persons living in and visiting the City of Alexandria. Additionally, we strive to enhance the quality of life for our residents through the efficient and effective delivery of city services through Alex311, which provides easy access to information and assistance.
Our Vision
We're committed to providing our community with exemplary service in Public Safety 911 and 311 City services. We strive to ensure that our community receives timely, efficient, and effective assistance in emergencies as well as in non-emergency situations.
NPSTW 2026
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, April 12–18, is an annual celebration organized by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International to honor and raise awareness of the hardworking public safety call takers and dispatchers across the country. During this week, we recognize the Department of Emergency & Customer Communications and all the dedicated Public Safety Telecommunicators who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance.
The City is proud of DECC for being the hub of all Emergencies and calls for assistance. Nearly three dozen City telecommunicators dispatch to the City of Alexandria Police, Fire, Sheriff, and Emergency Medical personnel and coordinate with other agencies. In addition, DECC oversees the City of Alexandria's Alex311 Center, which takes non-emergency calls for City services.
Each year, the City's Department of Emergency and Customer Communications handles over 500,000 combined calls and service requests. Your worst day is their workday, as they help every caller through any emergency 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
As we gear up to celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week from April 12-18, let's take a moment to honor the tireless efforts of our public safety call takers and dispatchers. These dedicated individuals work around the clock to respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render lifesaving assistance. It's a job that demands quick thinking, immense patience, and an unwavering commitment to public safety. Let us show our appreciation to these unsung heroes who are always there to help us in our time of need.
DECC Services
Non-Emergency
This service handles non-emergency calls related to Police, Fire, and EMS. You can reach this service at 703.746.4444.
Our Core Values
We are dedicated to offering the best possible customer service and experience and take pride in it. We believe in upholding core values such as professionalism, integrity, service, excellence, respect, dignity, pride, partnership, and accountability in all our interactions with our residents and stakeholders.
These core values are at the heart of everything we do!
Professionalism
We exhibit conscientious, courteous, and businesslike behavior in the workplace and conform to our profession's highest ethical and technical standards.
Integrity
We are strongly committed to the highest performance standards, moral and ethical conduct, and truthfulness in all relationships.
Service
We provide quality service in a courteous, efficient, and accessible manner.
Excellence
We consistently strive to demonstrate our professional and technical excellence.
Respect
We treat all persons, including our co-workers and residents, during their time of need in a fair, impartial, unbiased, dignified, and courteous manner, with respect for individual differences and ethnic and cultural diversity.
Dignity
We treat all persons with dignity during their time of need.
Pride
We take great pride in our skills, our fellow co-workers, our organization, and our commitment to public service.
Partnership
We value our relationships with others and make quality, transparent decisions in cooperation with our co-workers and customers.
Accountability
We hold ourselves accountable for our actions, and we are accountable to the community for all that we do.
CALEA Comments on DECC
Comment on the Department of Emergency Communication & Customer Service
Alexandria (VA) Department of Emergency Communications
The purpose of this portal is to receive public comments regarding an agency's compliance with The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies [CALEA] standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the participating agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence and this new approach works to further that objective.
IMPORTANT: CALEA is not an investigatory body and subsequently the public portal should not be used to submit information for such purposes. Additionally, there will be no response other than acknowledgment of submissions; however, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA® Accreditation.
Technical and Operational Assessment and Pandemic Operations
Alexandria Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC) Technical and Operational Assessment Pandemic Operations Submitted to: Alexandria, Virginia By APCO International