The Charlotte Police Department was formally organized in 1866, but it was 60 years later before citizens could contact the police by phone.  In 1926, the first two telephone lines were installed at the police headquarters.  But just 3 years later, the two phone lines were replaced by a multi-line PBX.  Over the years, with the advancement of technology and a growing public need, the PBX system was expanded to add even more phone lines.

Fifty-plus years later, contacting the police got even easier.  In July 1979, 9-1-1 became the single emergency telephone number.  Through the use of 9-1-1 a citizen could reach the Mecklenburg County Police, the Charlotte Police Department, the Charlotte Fire Department and Medic.  Enhanced 9-1-1 was the next big feature added in 1987.  Enhanced 9-1-1 allowed the police telecommunicator to see on their computer screen the location and telephone number of the phone used by the citizen to call.  This was a big addition in helping police locate people in need.

For many years police officers were dispatched to calls by contacting Communications via use of a "call box" placed at various locations on the streets, but in 1930 the first Charlotte police cars were equipped with one-way radios.   A dispatcher could contact the officer,  

but the officer could not talk to the dispatcher.  Years later, two-way radios were placed in patrol cars allowing officers and dispatchers to talk back and forth.

Officer-dispatcher communication changed again in 1988 when mobile data terminals were put into patrol cars.  Officers could be dispatched through a computer/radio terminal in the car.  Today, officers have computer laptops at their fingertips that provide them with extensive information and allow them to file their police reports while still in the car.

Until 1968, all information taken by a telecommunicator from a caller was recorded by the Communications Bureau on paper or cards.  The information was then relayed by radio to officers assigned to respond to the call.  In the early '70's technological advances brought all of this onto computers with the addition of computer aided dispatch.  Calls for police service where typed directly into a computer and relayed to officers by radio or through their mobile data terminals.  Today, the information can be sent directly to the laptops in their patrol cars.

October 1993 brought consolidation of the Charlotte Police Department and the Mecklenburg County Police Department.  The new Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was responsible for providing police service to all of Charlotte and unincorporated Mecklenburg County. 

Today, the CMPD serves about 700,000 citizens.

Because of such growth the Communications Bureau has grown to more than one hundred positions.  Originally staffed by civilian employees, there was a time when police officers staffed the phones and dispatch locations.  But by the late 70's the officers were placed back in the field and the Communications Bureau became a civilian staff again.