Usually, a counter is placed in the 24-hour-opened main entrance and a pistol-armed police officer would sit there as the station duty officer, or watch commander, on a 2-or-4-hour watch. The watch commander is the main funnel between that station and civilians within its area of responsibility. He or she is in charge of the safety of the station, including the security of firearms and ammunition. The station duty officer must answer all personal or telephone complaints from civilians, delegate those reports to proper desk police officers, dispatch police officers on patrol to respond, or provide legal advice to common citizens. Also, the station duty officer would reply to all information requests concerning suspicious persons or vehicles over radio communication.