911 Dispatchers

Julia · 11-28-06, 04:53 AM

Okay u people give my your opinions on dispatchers and how hard our jobs are, and do u think your can handle or even tryed or would like to try it.

**BEB** · 11-28-06, 05:02 AM

Depends...

Are you in a metro area with constant calls? A rural area where your services are shared between departments, but the equipment doesn't give location? A calling area where the cell providers mismap and send calls to the wrong state? An area where most calls are from tourists who don't know where they are?

Wait...this sounds too complicated for me.

(I'm sure I only touched on the tip of the iceberg)

Thank you, stokerress

Julia · 11-28-06, 05:11 AM

yep 5 police departments 10 fire departments sheriffs office 4 ems trks not to mention all of the voluteers for the whole montgomery county..some days i hate answering 911. U name it we do it!

**TheOldRhino** · 11-28-06, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by stokerress

Okay u people give my your opinions on dispatchers and how hard our jobs are, and do u think your can handle or even tryed or would like to try it.

You know, I was going to doubt you were a dispatcher- then I see your grammar skills. Obviously, you have to be a dispatcher.

You think talking to crazy/stupid/scared/angry people on the phone is bad? Try being the dummy that actually drives out to the call.

**Star Man** · 11-28-06, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Rhino

You know, I was going to doubt you were a dispatcher- then I see your grammar skills. Obviously, you have to be a dispatcher.

You think talking to crazy/stupid/scared/angry people on the phone is bad? Try being the dummy that actually drives out to the call.

+1 on that! Dealing with them longer than a minute on the phone SUX sometimes!

Other side of the coin,,,,
I think sitting in a dark room with no windows for 8-10-or 12 hours would be the pits. I LOVE my corner office, and if I get tired of talking to someone I drive to a new spot in it.

The poor dispatchers / complaint writers inside don't get that option. They have to sit in the same room all night with the same people (10-12 people on mids here). I've sat in there for a few weeks on light duty when I got hurt and it is NO FUN. I was dying to get back in my cruiser away from them.

I think it's no where near as exciting to be inside as it is on the street so I will say its a pain in the butt enough that I would not want to do it (dispatch).

I would like to see more dispatchers come out and do a ride along with a road FTO. I've had some come out and they are completely shocked at what it's like from our end of the radio. I've heard may times "I didn't realize that it was like that". They don't fully understand the noise, distractions, paperwork, commotion/chaos involved until they see it themselves. Then they have a better understanding of why we may ask them to repeat a transmission or request something twice because we didn't hear someone else do it, or not answer or radio immediately in a bad situation, etc.... instead of just griping from inside the comm center.

**10-42Adam** · 11-28-06, 11:29 AM

So why is this in the video, pictures, and photographs section?

You may now get back to the topic...

**OffDuty** · 11-28-06, 11:52 AM

Is punctuation and grammar required at your agency?

Dispatchers have a tough job, one that I would not want to do, but it seems we have more than a few whose primary screwups are related to not ficusing on the job at hand, but rather knitting, American Idol. playing cards or sudoku games, then getting flustered when they misinterpret the radio traffic due to inattention.

Or not being able to differentiate officers by voice. Some dispatchers have worked on my shift as long as or longer than I, I have my earpiece in everyday and I recognize you, so spare me the "other unit with traffic?". A GOOD dispatcher knows these things, and more.

**CountyFourteen** · 11-28-06, 12:01 PM

I find that the dispatcher job is rough, my wife is a dispatcher, and she loves it.

Julia · 11-28-06, 03:11 PM

When u are a dispatcher u could care less about punctuation. We do enough keyboarding as it is.

**Piggybank Cop** · 11-28-06, 03:14 PM

I couldn't be either a dispatcher or street cop, way to stressful.

I'll just fluff up these 100's to make a nice comfy resting spot and get back to work.

**kingpervis** · 11-28-06, 03:21 PM

I've never been a law enforcement dispatcher, but I did do dispatching for campus security when I was in college. Not even nearly the same thing, I realize, but it still required massive multi-tasking. The campus had an enrolled population of 15,000 students. Not sure what that translated to as far as people on campus during the day and during the night.

I worked the desk alone and was responsible for radio traffic, logging information, the phone, walk-ins, blue light emergency stations, and general alarms. When I worked for a police department out in North Dakota, I sat in dispatch a few times to help relieve the supervisor who would go on break. I'd try to figure things out on my own, just to prove I could, but I always had to ask the dispatcher sitting next to me, "How do I page out the ambulance again?"

Where I work now the dispatch is county consolidated. They are responsible for 11 police departments, even more fire departments and after hours public works, social services, setting off the tornado sirens, etc. They are a busy group.

**Willowdared** · 11-28-06, 04:56 PM

Maybe a Mod can move this to the General Topics section?

My department's stats for 2005:

During the year of 2005, Sheriff’s Dispatchers handled 174,445 9-1-1 calls, with the average caller only having to wait 2 seconds before their call was answered (the State recommended maximum average answering time is 10 seconds). Dispatchers answered 471,418 calls on the administrative (non-emergency) lines, with the average caller only waiting 36 seconds.

Our primary responsibility?

Officer Safety

Our mantra?

Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity

Our department includes ride-alongs as part of training. Both for dispatchers and deputies.

It's definitely the kind of job that requires you to bring your "A" game. You can never let yourself make assumptions, or be complacent. I am mindful of the awesome responsibility (and liability) that comes with the job. I love it, and look forward to work everyday.

But I could never be a deputy.

**Piggybank Cop** · 11-28-06, 05:11 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

Maybe a Mod can move this to the General Topics section?

Any thing for you PDawg.

**Willowdared** · 11-28-06, 05:11 PM

I feel so loved!

Thank you - oh great and powerful Mod!

**Emily** · 11-28-06, 05:19 PM

My mom used to be a dispatcher for a rural county here in Nebraska. But the whole 'inmate escaping and holding her at gun point' thing kinda made her lose interest.

**mavriktu** · 11-28-06, 07:17 PM

Stokeress,I have played both sides of that coin,I am now a patrol Sgt.and much prefer it to dispatch,and all I had was 8 fire districts,and the S.O.(civil and criminal) and 4 ems.Of course it was a 1 person operation,ie:you took the call,gathered the info,dispatched the call,and held your freakin breath for a code 4,

Having been a metro "street" cop previously I at least knew the info needed.We also had (have) an antiquated system(we were sued and lost,because the parish{750 sq.miles and 30K population}has 4 deaf people and no one knew how to work the TDD system),BUT ,some dispatchers could care less.Get NO info ,"what is the description of the suspicious vehicle central,I am in the area"UHHH Let me call the complaintant back,"never mind central I think it may be the one that just jumped out shooting at me.

But as I said when I was dispatching,It has to be the best job in the world,--where else can you get paid to sit on your ass 12 hours a day telling cops where to go,AND how fast to go there?

Julia · 11-28-06, 10:42 PM

i do try to lookout for my officers because for me they are my brothers i would do anything for which includes protecting them to my ability..i have rode in the cars with them and have been slammed up against the wall when i was on the sert team several years ago but my now huband made me quit..i have been think about going to blet school which my family is fussing about ref to me having kids and practically only child..so anyway i could go back on my business admin degree but i wasnt happy doing that ..i do enjoy helping people.may go back and finish my paramedic..

**bufford408** · 11-28-06, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by PDawg

Our primary responsibility?

Officer Safety

Our mantra?

Accuracy, Brevity, Clarity

Our department includes ride-alongs as part of training. Both for dispatchers and deputies.

It's definitely the kind of job that requires you to bring your "A" game. You can never let yourself make assumptions, or be complacent. I am mindful of the awesome responsibility (and liability) that comes with the job. I love it, and look forward to work everyday.

But I could never be a deputy.

PDawg..I love you...Would you marry me and come to work for my department???
Our dispatchers turn the radio down so as not to disturb the Oprah Winfrey show.

**OffDuty** · 11-28-06, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by stokerress

When u are a dispatcher u could care less about punctuation. We do enough keyboarding as it is.

Yeah, so do I as a street cop with my MDT, but yet I manage good spelling and such in the privacy of my home on the internet.

**Willowdared** · 11-28-06, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by bufford408

PDawg..I love you...Would you marry me and come to work for my department???
Our dispatchers turn the radio down so as not to disturb the Oprah Winfrey show.

I'd say yes, but you'd run away!

That's scary to hear Bufford, we are not allowed to have volume on the tv's on the floor, and they are only tuned to news (or football)