Bedford County’s Emergency Communications department has evolved substantially over the past 40 years.

Their story began in 1982, when a single emergency phone number was established for Bedford County. In 1999, the Joint Communications Center for Bedford City (now a town) and Bedford County opened at the current location at 1345 Falling Creek Road. The Joint Communications Center is on the lower level of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.

Today, there are seven full dispatch consoles and one call-taker console in the Joint Communications Center.

All dispatchers are certified through the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice for Virginia Dispatch. All dispatchers are certified for Emergency Medical Dispatching through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch.