Tired Dispatcher

Do You Relate?

2012-01-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

Emergency operators are no stranger to receiving odd requests from callers. Wild claims and requests are our bread and butter. The stress relievers for our manic job.

Tell me, can you relate to these little pieces of news I found?

http://buyttown.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104673&article=8500206

Last April, a man called 911 while he was being pulled over for a speeding ticket, pretending to report a shooting in the hopes officer would let him off the hook as they moved to respond to the fake incident.

Bet he got the idea from a television show.

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Woman-Calls-Cops-After-Drug-Deal-Goes-Bad-137214528.html

Then, just a few weeks ago, a woman who said she received the wrong pills in an illegal prescription drug deal called police demanding that they track down the dealer and bring back the right goods.

I took a call similar to that where the guy admitted he bought the marijuana but it was the type or grade that the seller told him it was and wanted his money back so he could buy the good stuff.

Sorry folks, you just can't make this stuff up.

Stupid People Our Job Security

2012-01-26T10:02:00.000-08:00

http://triblocal.com/burr-ridge-willowbrook/2012/01/23/police-willowbrook-man-called-911-asked-to-fight-a-cop/

Police: Willowbrook man called 911, asked to fight a cop
By Brian Slodysko TribLocal reporter Monday at 2:28 p.m.
John-Rocco-Pacella

A 38-year-old Willowbrook man accused of calling 911 and asking to fight a police officer faces felony battery and resisting arrest charges, police said on Monday.
Police said John R. Pacella, of the 200 block of Stanhope Drive, was arrested after a 911 call from a man who “wanted to see an officer because he wanted to fight with them” about 4 a.m. on Jan. 19, police said.

When officers arrived at Pacella’s home, he shoved the officers, according to a police report.
Pacella was booked into DuPage County Jail, where he remains on $100,000 bail, according to jail records. He is charged with aggravated battery, resisting a police officer, and battery with intent to provoke or insult – all felonies – records indicate.

Willowbrook police say they have had prior contact with Pacella, who is registered sex offender.

Desk Excercises

2011-12-20T21:13:00.000-08:00

As earlier mentioned, not much on Dispatcher and Weight(y) issues to research. And I'm good at finding obscure articles. So, I am posting some excercises we Dispatchers can do at our desks, even if connected with our umblical cord headsets. Looks like this would be good for stress relievers too.

Abdominal Hold
The abdominal hold can be performed discreetly at your desk and has varying levels of difficulty. The easier version requires a chair and begins by sitting upright with your shoulders over your hips. Take a deep breath, then slowly exhale engaging the stomach muscles by visualizing your belly button pulling toward your tailbone. Continue your slow breathing while holding your abs in this flexed position, slowly bring your right foot off of the floor for a count of 10, then switching to your left foot. Repeat this movement four to five times, then on your last exhale relax the stomach muscles. To increase the intensity of this exercise "Fitness" magazine recommends sitting closer to the edge of your chair, placing your hands on the edge for balance and slowly bringing both feet off of the ground. Make sure your chair is stable for the advanced version.

Sitting Twist
The sitting twist is an excellent way to work your obliques, the muscles that form the waist. Begin this exercise by sitting up tall at the edge of your chair with your shoulders square over your hips. Place your hands behind your head so your elbows are pointing out to the sides. Keeping your hips facing forward, slowly twist your entire torso, neck and head to face toward your left side. Bring this movement back to center and then twist to face the right side. Repeat this movement 10 to 20 times on each side. To make this movement more advanced when you turn toward the left side, slowly raise your left foot off of the floor and bring your left knee to meet your right elbow. Repeat the twist to the right, bringing your right foot off of the floor and bringing your right knee to meet your left elbow.

Deep Breathing
Not all stomach work needs to be about shortening and contracting the stomach muscles, according to "Yoga Journal" magazine. Deep abdominal breathing clears the nostrils, ears and other air ducts in the head, similar to a sneeze, which activates the deepest abdominal muscle, the transversus. Deep-breathing exercises can be performed easily at your desk. Begin by sitting upright in the center of your chair with your shoulders upright over your hips. Slowly inhale through your nose, drawing all of your breath in while relaxing your belly. Once you feel your belly is full of breath, gently exhale through your mouth, gently pulling your belly button in toward your back. Continue this exercise for about one minute.

Hamstring Curl
Perform the hamstring curl by standing at your desk and holding onto the desk or a wall for support. Lift your right foot slowly toward your buttocks. Keep the knee on your supporting leg slightly bent during the hamstring curl, without locking the knee. Lower your right foot slowly and repeat curl about 12 to 15 times. Switch to your left leg and perform the same number of repetitions.

Stretches
Perform a side bend neck stretch by tilting your head to one side for 15 seconds and repeating the tilt three times on each side. Perform a diagonal neck stretch by turning your head slightly to one side. Look down and hold the position for 15 seconds. Repeat the movement three times on each side. The executive stretch requires you to lock your hands behind your head and move your elbows backward as far as you can. Inhale, lean backward to stretch your muscles and hold the position for 20 seconds. Exhale and return to your starting position.

Shoulder Rotations
Relieve strain and tension in your neck and shoulders by performing large forward and backward rotations every couple of hours. This takes only a few minutes but offers effective stress relief caused by tension in the arms, shoulders, upper back and neck area. Sit straight in your chair with your arms down by your sides. Circle your arms forward 10 times, then backward 10 times.

Running Late

2011-12-12T20:36:00.000-08:00

This is directed to those co-workers who have time management issues.

Dear Co-Worker,

Once again I am leaving work late because you are unable to get to work in a timely manner.

Yes, occasionally I am arriving right on shift change. But out of a five day work week you arrive after the beginning of your shift on average three days a week. Which means I am working over before I can even brief you on what has happened and what is happening.

Briefing at shift change only takes a few minutes on average, but as you arrive late, the minutes add up. I added up three weeks worth and had 48 extra minutes of work. And I don't get paid for them, but you do.

So, dear co-worker, please be more considerate of your co-worker who is waiting to go home after a long shift. You like to leave work on time, don't you?

Am Famous

2011-12-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

Well, not famous, but as of 2012, will be published. Have been working hard to keep my anonymity, and the writer John M Wills was very supportive of that fact, and is including some of my blog postings. Cleaned up, but the feel is still there. This blog was started for my edification, my need to express in writing what I can not say out loud. And apparently someone understands and connects.

What I find interesting is here is an author who is gathering stories of Women in Blue (or Brown) and was willing to include stories from Dispatchers. As a regular reader will know, I have noted the fact we are forgotten members of the Department so much of the time, yet this experienced LEO thought it important enough to add the stories of not just this Dispatcher, but others as well. My hat is tipped to you Mr Wills.

At the below link you can find out how to order your copy of this book. Check it out. Maybe buy a copy for your local library and donate it. Let's not forget the importance we Estrogen Based Life Forms add to the Thin Blue Line. Let's celebrate it.

http://johnmwills.com/id13.html

Little Information Out There

2011-11-22T10:19:00.000-08:00

Another example of how law enforcement dispatchers are the non-studied under-appreciated ugly stepchild of law enforcement. Wanted to do a little research on weight(y) issues and health issues that are prevalent with our jobs.

The only dispatchers I know who are slim after several years sitting behind a console with headset "umbilical cord" to the boards are those that just can't gain weight and those that work out an hour or two 6-7 days a week. (Who has the time for that? I'm lucky to get in two visits a week to the gym.)

There are even fewer dispatchers who don't get differing levels of carpel-tunnel or arthritis in their hands and elbows after typing millions of words a month during their shifts. Or the headaches from looking at and working with computer screen(s) for hours on end.

But if you Google or Bing "dispatcher + health" or "dispatcher + weight", what you DON'T find are articles pertaining to our unique job.

But change out dispatcher for officer and your reading choices are wide and varied.

I read an article many years ago that stated the Federal Government considered public safety dispatchers (PD/FD/EMS) were the second most stressful job, only behind traffic controlers. LEO's were number six.

Maybe because the public sees an officer, can put a name and face with the voice and actions, officers seem "more real" than the voice on the other end of the phone asking questions and trying to help.

Clearly, we need to hire a public relations firm and our own press agent to publicize all we do. Maybe we can get our own reality show, any title suggestions?

Maybe what we need to do is to start sharing information with each other. Be our own researchers and publishers of information. Clearly the psychology and health and physical research arenas don't find us interesting enough to delve into further. In those fields I understand it is "publish or perish". Guess we're not good enough material fodder.

But they would be so so so very wrong. Am I right?

PTSD Notes For Self

2011-11-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, continuing to explore this issue. It explains so much about my sleeping issues and inability to turn off my mind. And maybe why I am reacting to certain issues in my life and at work with such physical trauma I now have an ulcer to deal with.

Information from Mayo Clinic Website:

Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms can come and go. (Not too sure when it's gone. When it goes. Seems like I am raw all the time. Just there are moments under better control than others.)

You may have more post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms when things are stressful in general, or when you run into reminders of what you went through. (OK, makes sense. Since what caused the trauma was my work, and I continue to work in the field (though not the same location/agency) is perhaps why the PTSD never seems to fully go away.)

When to see a doctor:
It's normal to have a wide range of feelings and emotions after a traumatic event. You might experience fear and anxiety (Yeppers), a lack of focus (At the wierdest times, too), sadness, changes in how well you sleep (Doesn't happen unless am heavily medicated) or how much you eat, or crying spells that catch you off guard. You may have nightmares or be unable to stop thinking about the event (Replay converstaions and/or radio traffic over and over, thinking of what I wish I had asked/said or tell them to f*** off).

This doesn't mean you have post-traumatic stress disorder. (Say what???)

But if you have these disturbing thoughts and feelings for more than a month, if they're severe, or if you feel you're having trouble getting your life back under control, talk to your health care professional. Getting treatment as soon as possible can help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse.

Guess it's time for counseling again. Had really hoped changing agencies would rid me of the "if's" and "ughs". It has decreased, but still a bit of an issue. Of course, all the drama at home isn't helping either. If it ain't one thing it's another. Who plays of who? Home vs Work or Work vs Home? Both are my lives, but both cause me grief.

How Wrong Is This?

2011-11-10T06:50:00.000-08:00

Had to share this article. Because it is soooo wrong on sooo many levels. A man trying to help his community and drug cartel kills him for it. Citizens are using anonymous connections in social media and it still gets them killed. Where does it stop? When does the nation of citizens finally put their foot down and say enough is enough? Drug cartels are running and ruining the country. Theirs and ours. Makes me wonder how long before this form of "retribution" makes it way north.

Man Killed In Mexico For Social Media Comments
Published November 10, 2011
Fox News Latino

Mexican police found the decapitated body of a man left in the border city of Nuevo Laredo Wednesday at the same monument where the corpse of a woman purportedly killed in retaliation for her postings on an anti-crime website had been left previously, authorities said.
A photo of the scene indicates the man was killed for reporting criminals on social media sites, raising fears drug cartels are increasingly targeting bloggers.

Police found the body at a monument on one of the city's main thoroughfares, said a Tamaulipas state investigator who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not allowed to discuss the case.

The officer wouldn't discuss the content of the message but a photograph of the scene posted on a blog shows a handcuffed man lying on his belly on top of a bloodstained message and a chopped head nearby. The message reads "this happened to me for not understanding that I shouldn't report things on the social networks."

The message claimed the man, identified by his nickname "Rascatripas" or "Belly Scratcher," was a moderator of "Nuevo Laredo en Vivo," a website used by the city's residents to denounce crime and warn each other about drug cartel gunfights and roadblocks.

The gruesome killing may be the fourth since September in which people in Nuevo Laredo were killed by a drug cartel for what they said on the Internet.

The decapitated body of Maria Elizabeth Macías, "La Nena de Laredo," or "Laredo Girl," was found at the site in September with a message that said she was killed for her reports on the website. That message was signed with the letter "Z," which refers to the violent Zetas drug cartel.

Earlier that month, the bodies of a man and a woman were found hanging from an overpass in Nuevo Laredo with a message threatening, "this is what will happen" to trouble-making Internet users and also signed with a "Z."

The Zetas have dominated Nuevo Laredo, located across the border from Laredo, Texas, for years.

"Nuevo Laredo en Vivo" has a message acknowledging Macías was a contributor and lauding her courage.

Chat messages on the website show a user with the nickname of "Rascatripas" commented Monday afternoon about the dangers of traveling on a riverside highway that connects Nuevo Laredo to Ciudad Mier.

We're seeing that the war in Mexico it's not only about gaining control of the streets but also controlling information.

Carlos Lauria, senior program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists
Whether the unidentified man found Wednesday at a monument to Christopher Columbus contributed to the website it's unclear.

"We have no way of confirming whether he is the person who was killed because we're all anonymous," said a Tweet by "Nuevo Laredo en Vivo" in response to a request for comment by The Associated Press.

With local newspapers forced to avoid crime reporting by threats in many border cities Mexicans have increasingly turned to local online chat sites like "Nuevo Laredo en Vivo" to report and read about cartel activity. The site includes numbers to phone in tips to police and the military.

"We're seeing that the war in Mexico it's not only about gaining control of the streets but also controlling information," said Carlos Lauria, the Americas senior program coordinator for the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. "This is no longer a problem that affects just one group, for example journalists, but it affects anyone who informs ... this is putting Mexico's democracy at risk."

Users of "Nuevo Laredo en Vivo" wowed to continue reporting criminals to authorities.
"Those guys think they are so smart. They want to spread fear," wrote a user identified as Anon5218 Wednesday night. "As long as no one confirms Rasca was an honest citizen, let's leave it as a doubt and continue on."

Based on reporting by the Associated Press. Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2011/11/10/man-killed-in-mexico-for-social-media-comments/?test=latestnews#ixzz1dJXi1vT6

Namelessly

2011-11-08T10:10:00.000-08:00

I started this blog under a pseudonym because I wanted the freedom to write what I was thinking and feeling without fear of someone reading it and suing me over my stated opinions. I needed a safe place to vent my frustrations and head-shaking work moments that come from those I serve and those I share work space with.

If you're a blogger you have heard about those frivolous and painful lawsuits over your freedom of speech (though may be guaranteed under the First Amendment, if it "hurts" the feelings or reputation of the person you're upset about or at, it is no longer a protected right).

But the name, "Tired Dispatcher", has become a much larger identity. It has given me a second persona to explore and utilize. I find myself freely commenting on news articles because I can do so not as me, the wife-mother-grandmother-police dispatcher-community activist-student-etc, but as someone who has the ability to state their take on the issue and/or article and/or person as "Tired Dispatcher".

Being nameless-unknown-mysterious (maybe?) I can give voice to thoughts and opinions as dispatchers we are not permitted. Like an officer, we have to be neutral, as much as possible. We may not agree with your life choices, but you still have rights issued by law makers we must enforce evenly across the board and array of citizens we are hired to serve.

It is not easy to always remember that component of our job description. Well, that unwritten rule in the game of law enforcement.

We are not a judge who can sit back and Monday-morning quarterback and take the time to look up the legal issues and precedents on the issues.

We are not law makers who craft rules of behavior or permissions based on our highest money-making benefactor whims.

We are public servants who must enforce the good and not-so-good laws to all and sundry. Our opinions on the laws or on the people who get caught up in the illegal activities net are not suppose to matter, but just be dealt with in an even-handed manner.

Okay, okay. I can see how the eyebrows are raising. But truly, that is our intent. And it isn't easy. Our life experiences can sometimes color our tones of voice or manner in which we handle an ugly situation. We are, after all, powered by a specialized body fluid called blood, not oil. And thus, sometimes, the pressure of that precious life-giving fluid will rise and fall, boil or turn to ice, many times based on our pasts experiences and feelings and sentiments.

I may not have the freedom to voice my frustrations and share my laughable moments as ______ (haha - still anonymous), but as Tired Dispatcher? Hear me roar!

Time To Reiterate

2011-09-09T20:37:00.000-07:00

This was part of my very first blog. And due to recent calls, time to reiterate (repeat for those who get tired of my using big words):

Remember: 9-1-1 is for life or death or crimes in progress EMERGENCIES ONLY!

If you can remember four small rules when you call 9-1-1 for help, it is much easier on you and the Dispatcher you are talking to:

#1 - In ten words or less, tell the Dispatcher what the emergency is.

"I was in an accident"

"There is a house on fire"

"I need an ambulance"

#2 - Tell the Dispatcher where you are.

Location, location, location. At all times be aware of where you are.

Whether it is confirming your home address, or the major streets

where the accident happened. Pay attention to your surroundings

and be prepared to say where the location is.

#3 - Shut Up!

There is no nice way to say this. It is now time to be quiet

so the Dispatcher can ask the questions and gather the important

information from you. You want to tell them everything, but

there are pieces of information we need to know NOW. You

can share the rest of the story later.

#4 - Breathe!!

Don't forget to breathe! You're heart is racing, the adrenaline is

pumping! And it's hard to think when all the blood is racing

to your vital organs in preparation for fight or flight, a natural

physio response. But the Dispatcher needs your blood going

to your head and brain so they can get the information they need

for the officers. Remember to take a deep breath. And another.

Awwww...... feel much better. Now, if I could only get this information into the hands of those idiots who call 9-1-1 because they're too lazy to look up the non-emergency phone number or keep the phones (cell and landline) out of the reach of little kids who like to press buttons. There are play phones out there you can give kids to play with that won't waste so much of my time. Your fix-it ticket is not an emergency, even if you have to be in traffic court tomorrow about it.

Am I right Fellow Dispatchers?!?!?

Stress Relievers

2011-09-05T07:16:00.000-07:00

We know our job is full of doom and gloom, trauma and drama. Inside the department and with our citizens. Let's face it, people don't call us because they are having a great day and want to share good news with us. We deal with phone call after phone call of pain, anger, fear, confusion. Radio traffic full of responding to calls for service, traffic stops, and keeping track of our boys and girls in cars helping citizens on the streets.

So I ask you, how do you relieve the stress of your job?

Have a co-worker who runs (or walks very quickly) the stairs of a major university football stadium. Another rides for miles and miles on bikes. One spends hours looking through the world of a camera lens and photographing gorgeous scenery.

Had a co-worker who knitted during her shift (knew how irritating the caller was by how fast her needles were flying) and did woodwork at home. Was always remodeling and reworking something for her home; her haven.

Then there are those co-workers (present and past) who are rude to officers, ruder to callers, and down right rude and snippy to co-workers. Guess that's how they relieve their stress - give it to others.

I do needlework, like crocheting, needlepoint, cross stitch, embroidery, by the hour. Also love to do home repairs (even have my own power tools) and paint rooms. I also am very active in my community through volunteer work. Believe if you're not part of the solution you are part of the problem.

Let's face it world, we all have stress. But as dispatchers we have it much much more than the average person. Yes, I know, physical movement, like exercise, it a healthier way to relieve the stress. But yuck, I want something to show for my time. Something I can point at and say I created that, I painted that, I fixed that.

Here is a great article about different forms of stress relievers:
http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/stressrelievers.htm

As I said earlier, had a question for you dear reader. How do you relieve the stress of your job? What helps you sleep? What keeps you sane (well, keeps you off the edge)?

I Don't Understand

2011-08-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

Having done this job off and on for over 30 years, I have heard of dispatchers committing suicide, but haven't been directly involved or know the person. Can't say that any more.

Having to say good bye to a person who was courteus and patient to citizens - professional to supervisors and senior officers - wonderful to co-workers - over the moon about her grandbabies - proud of her daughters and their achievements - well, it's really hard.

I fear we may never know just how much what we saw was a mask hiding her fears and pain.

To my sisters and brothers in dispatch - please please please look within yourself and decide if you need to remove your cheery mask and seek the help available. Our jobs are full of pain and trauma daily. Don't leave behind more for your co-workers.

Cause there are many of us sitting here right now weepy and hurt and angry and very confused. Blame game has started. Questions abound on why we didn't see the signs. Why didn't you see the signs? Didn't you know?

Hopefully friend you have found your peace that you needed. You will be missed.

Leave My Job?

2011-07-11T04:17:00.000-07:00

A very dear friend said if the job is getting to me so much, why don't I leave and go do something else?

It's not that simple.

I'm good at my job. Occasionally there is a call or a radio traffic that is so out of control, and because of my skills, I am able to solve issues and help people and keep my officers safe.

I'm professional. I help everyone who calls in to the best of my ability and get assistance to my officers without regard to their 'tudes or my feelings.

It's a challenge. Every day is something different. A new challenge is faced and overcome. No two days or even phone calls are alike.

There are rewards, though far and few between. Sometimes there is a note from an officer saying thank you for the extra help on that call. Sometimes you know you've saved a life because of your being there when they called.

I have tried other jobs. Have even learned some great skills. But they don't hold my interest like police dispatching does. I have been everything from receptionist to secretary to the vice president to contract administrator to legal transcriber to.... well, you get the idea. The only job that truly held my interest was marketing, because of all the planning and creativity and forward thinking and problem-solving involved. Very much like dispatching without the life and death issues. But my practical experience (and lots of it) without a college degree keeps me from getting a job where I can truly exercise that muscle.

Okay, so what about training? Get the education and training needed to get that marketing job. Sure, I plan to go back to school in the spring. That is a done deal. And I hope it leads into a marketing job. But I also know that an exploration into psychology and PTSD for dispatchers needs to be explored. Maybe I can market the idea of PTSD for dispatchers with my PhD.

Walking away from a job that you know affects life and death issues, that makes you stretch and work hard for solutions, keeps you stimulated with thought and deed is not so easy.

As discussed here at other times, this is not the job for many. And many more don't understand how we can continue to expose ourselves to such horrors and long hours and stress.

Why don't I walk away? I don't know if I can. I don't know if I should. I don't know what else I can do. Been at this frame of work and mind maybe too long to be able to walk away.

I Use To Be Happy - Then I Became A Dispatcher

2011-06-20T00:18:00.000-07:00

Was talking to a friend VS, another fellow dispatcher. We were talking about our altered mental states, a prerequisite for our jobs, when she mentioned she use to be a happy person. Then she became a dispatcher.

Oh boy girl, did you hit a hot topic for me.

Seriously, think back on how you viewed the world, how you acted, what you believed in, before your dispatching work. Even if you grew up in a violent home, or a law enforcement family home, or Ozzie and Harriet-style home, your views and attitudes change the longer you sit behind the mic and phone.

Have heard many times from wives and girlfriends on how their husbands/boyfriends changed while going through the police academies. And how after a few years of service they come to realize they are now in a relationship with a different person. When many marriages dissolve and relationships fail.

But little is ever written or recognized or discussed that it is the same for dispatchers. Not all states require dispatchers to go through academies, most dispatcher training is done on the job. The first year is spent learning so much, gaining new skills, that the changes become very subtle, but they are there. Have trained a few in my career and seen many more go through training (not all making it) and speak from experience.

But the longer we do this job the more our minds, opinions, prejudices, trust issues, etc change. And not for the better.

VS mentioned that she doesn't trust anymore. Before her dispatching career she trusted everyone. But being exposed to a part of the community and their actions has changed that. Drives her kids crazy too.

Yeah, VS, that is how this job changes you. I grew up in a very dysfunctional home and thought I trusted few and little. But looking back, after many many many many years dispatching, I realize I was a very trusting soul. But dispatching has totally destroyed that part of me.

How else has dispatching changed you? Are you now unsympathetic to a certain group of people? I had little patience for women who stayed in abusive relationships before my career, and now have almost (well, really) none.

How about your political views? How have they changed? Did you change political parties?

And what about relationships???? One of the hardest things about our job. Getting and maintaining a healthy relationship with your partner while doing this job. In the outside world the stats are something like 50/50 for marriage success. In law enforcement, more like 80/20 for failure. Not just officers but dispatchers too.

And having and raising kids? With our hours? And exposure to really bad kids? Did you have kids before you started the job? How have your parenting skills changed? How many rules of behavior and expectations have changed and become more strict?

This job changes you on so many levels. And VS and I have barely scratched the surface.

Have always said this blog is for me. I post what I want to say and really don't care if you reply or comment (though I love it when you do). But today, for this entry, I would love to hear from other dispatchers and get their viewpoints on this topic.

I'm Not Worthy?

2011-06-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

Have been a dispatcher for a looong time. And it is a fact that we are second-class citizens in a police department. Officers think they can do our job better , the brass treat us like glorified secretaries (well, most of the time they treat their secretaries better), and our own supervisors forget how front line we are.

Yes, we are front line. Just because people don't see our faces, we are considered unworthy of the positive attention and support and respect of our own administration and the public we serve.

It is a truly horrific part of our job. I have lived through a few calls/events that have really left me shaken and upset, but because I wasn't directly on the scene I was not part of the debriefing or even permitted the opportunity to take the rest of the shift off to decompress, while the uniformed counterpart was given a week off with pay and/or given support to "deal" with the trauma of the call.

I have been briefly talking about PTSD. It is a new topic I am exploring. And I just went off on a tangent about the lack of tie in between PTSD and dispatchers. But I am allll fired up again.

I took Tired Dispatcher to Facebook to look for more PTSD information and to join dispatcher support pages, etc. Amongst my searching I found a Police Officers and PTSD support page. I sent in my request to join. Got reply asking if I was a police officer. Said no, just long time dispatcher who is dealing with work related PTSD. Got reply that the support page is for law enforcement officers only.

ONLY???? Excuse me???? Am I not part of the law enforcement community??? Am I not privey to the traumas and dramas of the commuity I serve? Do I not hear the stories and the crying and the shots fired? Do I not send officers to be shot at, monitor when in pursuit, send backup, an ambulance, a coroner when needed?

And because I sit behind a microphone or telephone I am not worthy of the same respect, support or help than my uniformed counterpart.

More PTSD Information

2011-06-15T00:19:00.000-07:00

Have been Bing'ing "PTSD + Dispatch(er)" and can find no articles written about PTSD and dispatching. But if you search "PTSD + Law Enforcement" you can find a plethora of articles. Naturally I skimmed through them to look for anything related to dispatchers.

NOTHING

But I did like this quote from a published article written by Paul G Brown from The Criminal Justice Institute, School of Law Enforcement Supervision, November 2003, entitled, "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in Law Enforcement."

I quote, "We have all no doubt heard of police burnout. Usually police officers experience burnout after about eight to ten years of experience. After many years of seeing things on a daily basis that would make most people cringe, police officers begin to feel numb and feel that they have "seen it all". Nothing seems to affect them anymore. Their work and their attitude toward police work may suffer. Morale goes down and sometimes police officers relieve their stress by becoming increasingly violent toward citizens, suspects, and even their own families."

I submit the section could read like this, catered towards dispatchers:: "We have all no doubt heard of job burnout. Usually public safety dispatchers experience burnout after about five to seven years of experience. After many years of listening and hearing horrific things on a daily basis, for hours on end, that would bring the average person to tears, dispatchers begin to feel great levels of frustration, disassociation and think they have heard it all. After thousands of these calls they are less able to empathize with the callers, and thus unable to connect to be able to help to their fullest ability. Their work and their attitude toward police work and their co-workers begin to suffer. Morale goes down, Supervisors demand more, and too many times the dispatchers relieve their stress by becoming increasingly rude and belligerent toward citizens, callers, co-workers and even their own families."

Am not really saying anything new. Have discussed these very merits in previous blogs. But it is interesting that just the changing of job title and job description, the law enforcement officer PTSD (a diagnosis recognized) aligns perfectly to describe law enforcement dispatcher PTSD, something not recognized.

Am thinking of changing my major from Business/Marketing to Psychology. Think more research is needed in this area. And it is clear that so far no one is taking the issue seriously. Guess not enough dispatchers are committing suicide or physically hurting their family members over the stresses of their job to get the attention of someone who cares.

Also, in my humble opinion, dispatchers get so conditioned to being treated like a second class citizens in their job, they begin to discount their own personal feelings, ignore the physical stress symptoms, and don't share their experiences enough so others out there can be educated as to the level of stress and horror we are exposed to regularly.

Time for us dispatchers to speak up and be heard. Because I know I'm not the only one out there experiencing the symptoms of PTSD and having them over looked and ignored because my job title is dispatcher, not officer.

Clock Watching

2011-06-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Never really considered myself much of a clock watcher, until lately.

I have always been an early bird. I prefer to arrive at my destination early. If I arrive on time I feel like I am late. If really early, I set in my car and read for a bit.

I like to come early to work and have "attitude adjustment time" where I can read the notes on the bulletin board, fix my coffee, socially talk with co-workers, and get into the "work" frame of mind. This is done on my time, not the time I am being paid to work.

But too many co-workers like to walk in one - two minutes before the beginning of their shift. Or come in several minutes past the beginning of their shift.

Come on folks.

You like to be relieved from your shift on time, please give me the same consideration. I understand an occasional late arrival, but 4-5 work days a week???

This is truly an epidemic here. So by the time you are signed on, and have been briefed, too many times it is 10-15 minutes past the end of my shift and I'm not getting paid.

Solution: Arrive 5 minutes before the beginning of your shift. You know it takes at least that long to get signed on and briefed, so when your shift begins, you are ready, and when my shift ends, I can go home.

This offered solution is for every dispatcher, not just those that relieve me. You don't have to come in 10-15 minutes early like I choose to, but be ready to work, which means in control of the dispatch panel, by the beginning of your shift.

Professional courtesy is all I'm asking.

Am Still Busy

2011-06-04T16:18:00.000-07:00

Someone sent me a question why I was not talking so much about my new agency. Is it because it is smaller and thus less work? Why am I not sharing about my work as much? Because I don't need to let off steam as much.

Some comparisions I have noted:

Large Agency: over 200 phone calls (easy) within 8 hours.
Small Agency: over 10 phone calls (sometimes) within 8 hours.

Large Agency: legbail chase at least a couple times a shift.
Small Agency: legbail chase couple times since I started 7 months ago.

Large Agency: high speed pursuit after occupied stolen vehicle often.
Small Agency: high speed pursuit after occupied stolen vehicle just occured first time in a year.

Large Agency: over 900 officers, and if lucky, you know a handful of them.
Small Agency: 15 officers and I know them all.

Large Agency: you can keep it -
Small Agency: much nicer working conditions

Repeated Complaint

2011-06-01T14:00:00.000-07:00

I know I have mouthed off about this problem before. So please be patient.

Why the H-E-double toothpicks don't parents know their kids addresses and phone number?? Or at least have it written down for easy access??

You call the police asking for a welfare check or possible missing person report on your grown kid who you haven't talked to for months but can't tell that agency exactly where they live. If we're lucky the parent at least knows the name of the complex (which always has multiple addresses).

We check our records, run all sorts of searches and come up, usually, with 2-3 addresses for the person. So there goes the time and efforts of one to two officers going to the areas and knocking on doors, searching for the viable address.

Meanwhile the parent always has a perfectly good excuse for the reasons why they don't talk much with their kid and why they don't have the address or phone number of their kid handy and why they can't go to the last known location of their kid to try to knock on the door and speak to their kid.

Another thing to the parent who is calling for help:: don't call me when you're two sheets to the wind and want to whine and complain how the other parent is harassing you about the fact the mutually shared grown-ass kid isn't calling them.

UGH!!!

2011-05-29T14:40:00.000-07:00

According to Anxiety Care webpage notes on PTSD: On the subject of hiding rather than overcoming, it has been suggested that children and adolescents , or adults who have trauma going back into early childhood, might use coping techniques like denying, or forcing themselves to ignore, the stress-generating event in PTSD. This might have been the only technique available to the child at the time, particularly if the parent/carer was abusive or indifferent so responsible for some, or all, of the trauma. The problem is, this is not a good way to deal with PTSD, as part of recovery has to be confronting the emotions and fears it generates and dealing with them, as mentioned. This might be extremely difficult if the adult or adolescent has learnt these "hiding" techniques very strongly as a child, and allows no possibility of error to enter his or her mind , as is common with young children and as may be carried into adulthood. The result will be summarily negative if the adolescent or adult cannot accept the "camels back": the building of stress over a long period, and seeks only to counter the current trauma without consideration for the depth of the problem that may be making current difficulties worse.

Okay, whoa. Have been told in the past by counselors this is what I do. I intellectualize the event or the words; I don't feel them. I don't allow myself to feel them and really don't acknowledge them. This was before I got back into police dispatching full time. When I was trying to cope with some of my childhood traumas and learn how not to repeat the mistakes so as not to mess up my marriage.

I think all of us dispatchers do this. Whether it was a trait we had in our personality arsenal before we started the job, it is certainly a coping mechanism that is developed, and fine tuned over the years. As a dispatcher you have to. Because people call you when they are frightened or hurt or angry or confused. And when it is call after call after call, you have to come up with a way to deal with them.

There is very little routine in our job. Maybe a call from an alarm company, always handled the same on our end, different outcomes in the field. But otherwise, every phone call is a different event needing a different part of your personality to handle. Every CFS for the radio dispatcher means a different or additional responsibility to handle. And when you have between three to 55 officers (or more) on your channel you are responsible for, and need to keep track of, and try to help, every CFS adds to the stress level, whether low or high priority.

But there is one big event, one big CFS, or one phone call asking for help, that tumbles down that carefully built house of cards. And no matter how hard you try to get the first level, that all important foundation, rebuilt, one end continues to fall, can't or won't support the next level. It is accepting the fact you might need help it not easy for most dispatchers. Admitting that you can't handle it without some support.

Is it fear that keeps us from finishing that foundation level? Is it not wanting to admit how much it scared you or hurt you that makes your hand shake when that all important corner is being placed?

PTSD

2011-05-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Check out this link. http://ptsd.factsforhealth.org/have/ptsd.aspx

As dispatchers we listen to trauma and drama for hours on end, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. For any dispatcher I talk to, there is usually at least two different phone calls or radio events that pops into their mind, instantly, when asked about a scary call.

Usually when people think about PTSD it is in terms of a serviceman or servicewoman returning from battle. Or an officer involved in an OIS. Little is written about the cumulative effect of witnessing and/or listening to trauma and drama when people are truly at the worst moments of their lives and you can't do very much to help and too many times as dispatchers we don't know how it ended. An officer has that benefit at least.

I think I may be exploring this phenomenon more in this blog. After all, it is here for me to express my work-related thoughts. This blog is here for me to help de-stress. And I think it is a component that needs exploring.

So the next few entries will be for me. Well, actually all the writings have been for me. But as it seems people are actually reading this, many of you may find the next few entries disturbing or off-track or even think it is the wrong place for the exploration. My words to you, don't read them. Just move on. Take me off your reading list.

I need to do this. This is how I work through my dark moments. Many psychiatrists and counselor's recommend their patients to journal. As I can type much faster than I can write, blogging has become a great outlet for me. Maybe I can come to terms with some things without the need for a PhD or Counselor or meds.

Battle Survivors

2011-05-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Was recently visited by a former workmate who became a very dear friend. We supported each other through the daily battles and skirmishes with the citizens, officers and brass. When one was feeling the pressure the other tried to take on a little bit more, a few extra phone calls, or power walked beside the upset co-worker.

Through years of daily wins and losses, some gained territory, losing lots of territory, like many people who have been through battles, you create a bond with those in the trenches like no other.

We both have moved on, to other work and other agencies. But as the recent visit proved, we are still very connected. It also made me realize how lucky I am in my new department and that deployment back to the former battle (work) location where I was able to forge this friendship, would be impossible.

Just needed to get this off my chest. No other purpose to this post.

Say What???

2011-03-25T01:42:00.000-07:00

This is from an article sent to me. Just too funny. Who says our jobs don't have silly moments?

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/bizarre&id=7941478

Abuse?

2011-03-23T02:39:00.000-07:00

There are supervisors who are good at motivating their staff, encouraging them, giving of praise/recognition when deserved, and preparing them for advancement.

Then there are those supervisors who prefer to belittle, talk down, when extra effort is made instead of acknowledging in a positive manner, they say, it's your job. They are usually the ones who have a complaint about everything and everyone. They couldn't do your job but they love to tell you how to do yours.

Now, think about them in a different light or angle if you please. If they were one half of a marriage, and you the other half; they were to talk to you that way, discount anything you do as worthless, and tell everyone you're not up to the job, those of us in LE know you're in an abusive relationship. Not physical, but psychologically abusive relationship.

As a dispatcher we would tell you where the different shelters are located. The different services available to aid you in gaining the strength necessary to break away from such an abusive relationship.

So why is the behavior permitted and permission able at work but so repugnant at a home relationship?

How Did I End Up Here?

2011-01-22T07:25:00.000-08:00

Was reading a book recently where the hero realized he never reached his life goal of occupation. During his path to the dream job, he started a job that would pay bills, in other words, temporary until he got where he wanted. Realized he had quite the knack for the interim work so it was very easy to lose track of time as the work was stimulating. It would end up being his bread and butter job for many years before he realized he had taken the fork in the roadway that led him in a different direction and was no longer on a path that would get him anywhere near his original goal.

Dispatching was not the job I originally thought I would have for so many years, so I truly empathied with his soul searching and eventual resolution this was his life now.

I doubt there are many dispatchers out there who started their career dreaming and planning with hopes to be a dispatcher one day. They may have started the work/fallen into the work accidently, like I did, and ended up many years later still talking to citizens and telling officers where to go. It was a job that was just suppose to help pay the bills while they worked towards their original career goal. Or maybe they fell into the job because it fit their schedule, a time killing occupation, until better offers came along.

However you ended up as a dispatcher, the job has a way of grabbing you. Time goes quickly because of the lack of routine. Each shift has a differnt challenge. Each phone call for help or guidance is different. Each call for service is not quite like the call before it.

Dispatching is not for the weak of heart or soul. Look at all those new hires that never finished their training because there was too much to know or too much multi-tasking or, just, too much. Those people who left after a short time because their hurting hearts and mental anguish of listening to the hour upon hour of pain and drama became too heavy a burden to carry and sleep with.

Those of us who have survived many years on the other end of the phone or behind the radio deserve a pat on the back and a hug. And a good dose of happy meds.

The Race Card

2011-01-03T07:32:00.000-08:00

Once again, accused of being racist because I have yet to send an officer to take care of the caller's request.

The facts:

- there are fewer officers than requests for assistance pending
- the accuser only called for the help 15 minutes earlier (hello, drive time)
- I am blind to their ethnicity due to talking to them over the phone
- there are set priorities established by department policy for different services
- caller doesn't know my ethnicity for the same reason I don't know his

Dear Caller - Save the race card for when it really matters (like life and death are involved) and when there is clear evidence of discrimination. Threatening to contact my supervisors and the Chief and the media is NOT going to get you any help any faster. Grow up, shut up, and wait your turn.

Enough said.

Sit-A-Longs

2010-12-23T17:35:00.000-08:00

Many agencies offer its citizens the opportunity to ride-a-long with an officer. Usually it seems the riders are college students putting in hours as required for a criminology class or the media doing a news research for a specific story or a family member wanting to see what their love one does during a shift. Very rarely, and I mean that word rarely, does a private citizen take the time to see what happens during the course of an officers shift working the streets.

What is even more rare, I mean like never, does a citizen do a sit-a-long with a dispatcher.

A citizen calls their local agency asking for an officer to file a report, maybe for a vehicle burglary or residential burglary or theft of a bike, or a fight, etc. When they call back 30 minutes later or three hours later, wondering why no one has yet contacted them about their problem, a dispatcher is whom becomes the receiver of their complaints about the time, the money they spend on taxes, thus paying for my paycheck, and probably because of their ethnicity or neighborhood is why police aren't coming out any faster.

Come on folks. Give me and my dispatching family a break. We personally don't care what your skin color is. Your neighborhood may be run down, but it doesn't delay in the response time.

I try to take time to explain a bit about priorities. We have to handle fights and car accidents before we handle a cold burglary call. Yes, your business was broken into, discovered at 6:00 am, but since then two accidents and a fire assist request has come in and tie up the officers who would be meeting with you and taking your complaint of the loss of equipment.

When the caller starts to get mouthy it is hard not to return the verbal fencing. But cooler head can prevail and an offer to the citizen to come join me for part of my shift, see the volume of calls and the type of calls that come in, to learn the priority system we work and why it is arranged in that manner, is offered regularly.

In the almost two decades of dispatching I have NEVER had a citizen take me up on my offer. I have had family members and Boy Scouts working on merit badges or a new officer as part of his orientation sit with me. But NEVER a citizen who wants to understand better why the delay in getting different kinds of help.

It is a frustrating part of our job. Of my job. Not sure what has been accomplished from this tirade. Just needed to express a complaint I guess.

Hello Again

2010-12-20T17:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry for my no show lately. Things at work and home got a bit out of control. But hopefully things are back on track, though still a bit hill-y.

I have changed agencies. It was either that or reach over and yell back at some of the nitwits I was sharing a room with. And the call receiving end was getting out of control. Not sure how a department can continue to deal with the cutbacks City Hall has been demanding and still give the service necessary to their community for the safety of the very community City Hall and PD are paid to deliver. Am in a much happier place now.

I have been reading other's blogs, though. Love to comment a high five or shake of head. Bloggers usually start writing for themselves. When they realize others are reading their comments too, well, it is quite an adrenaline rush.

Please, LE bloggers, keep writing for yourselves. Many of us in the LE family can empathize, though maybe not always agree. But having the safe domain of blogging to express yourself, I am coming to realize, is very important.

Okay world... here I come...... back.

Got An Idea

2010-07-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Recently got a phone call from a lady who was sitting in the office of Social Services trying to get some government monies to help. While sitting there and dealing with the red tape, in walked a guy she knew from the apartment complex. Got in line to request government assistance as well.

Aww... but wait. It gets interesting. She knows that the guy is a wanted felon (her words) and has the nerve to walk in asking for a handout (again her indignant words).

With a little research I found she was right. He had a couple warrants out on him. One a no bail. Covertly a clothing description was given and officers sent to hook and book his ass.

Guess he won't need the handout he was requesting as his meals and lodgings will be provided by the taxpayers in the form of jail time.

My idea is this: Why aren't we running every applicant for government assistance of any outstanding warrants? Maybe we can ship some people to other counties to deal with or quit rewarding their bad behavior with free handouts while they avoid their punishment for other terrible times?

I can almost hear those liberals yelling about the privacy of those with no warrants being invaded as someone searches a database for wants on them. Hello folks. If you know you don't have a warrant but want handouts, it's a small price to pay. If you know you have a warrant, well, your handouts will be on a plastic tray while you're behind bars.

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me

2010-07-20T22:51:00.000-07:00

I have complained, ad naseum, of the abuse of citizens using 9-1-1 for information.

Like the lady who called asking for the phone number to Probation. Explained to her that she should call 4-1-1 but to be helpful I gave her the phone number. She got a bit mouthy and said it was my job to give help however I was needed.

But the kicker was the off duty officer, yes - one of my puppies - who called on the officer line asking for the phone number and address of a business he wanted to talk to. A furniture store no less.

Not work related at all. Just wanted to see a piece they had advertised on sale.

To repeat myself. I AM NOT AN INFORMATION OPERATOR. DON'T GET PAID TO SERVICE YOUR LAZY ASS TO SEARCH FOR A PHONE NUMBER YOU CAN FIND BY OPENING A TELEPHONE BOOK OR CALLING 4-1-1.

UFO Hotline

2010-07-18T09:17:00.000-07:00

After many more years than I want to think about, I have given out, for the second time, the UFO Hotline phone number.

For those that want to know, it's 206-722-3000

How Did That Happen?

2010-07-17T10:31:00.001-07:00

Seems that responses to my posts are coming out in Japanese. Not sure why. Am trying to figure it out. Is frustraiting, for I fear I am missing some good points. Bear with me folks while I try to repair this.

God Complex

2010-07-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

God Complex:: Term generally used to describe an individual who consistently believes they can accomplish more than is humanly possible...

Can't imagine anyone who gets into law enforcement doesn't come in without the desire or need or want to help people and/or solve their life issues.

Watch television shows. Love how those pretend officers solve the problems of families that took years to cultivate. How one meeting with an officer will help a hoodlum or juvenile brat change their life direction.

When you start this job as a dreamy eyed optimist there is the belief in self that y0u will change the life of many people for the better and change the hearts of criminals to start walking the straight and narrow.

Then reality sets in. And the crappy hours and working conditions start to wear down your heart and soul. The lack of support from administrators, superior (and I use the term loosely) officers and co-workers can rub you raw. Then watching district attorney offices, to simplify their case loads and pad their numbers, plead down a case or a judge slap the offender on the wrist is very hard to swallow and survive at times.

But still the brave and foolish hearted law enforcement officers and dispatchers continue to slog on in the upward and treacherous trail of safety and law enforcement in hopes of finding that moment, that person, that life to improve and change.

After years of abuse from government employers and citizens we serve, the shields of the God Complex is tarnished and worn at points. It is harder to keep pinned to our uniforms. May even be missing some lettering or badly dented.

But year after year officers and dispatchers scotch tape or duct tape that well worn shield to their hearts and continue to try to help and serve those who don't deserve it or want it in hopes of finding that person or cause to save.

These are Every Day Heros that deserve ticker tape parades and streets named after them and books published by the thousands and interviewed on talking heads shows.

I salute you.

Say What?!

2010-06-25T17:20:00.000-07:00

Our local government, in all its collective wisdom, publicly announced the reason there will be additional employee lay offs is because the local officers association refused to concede to furloughs and that money would have saved several government jobs.

Huh??

The way I understand it, and I have an inside track, the local officer association actually offered other suggestions and concessions that would have saved the local government tens of thousands and practically offered an interest free loan to help through the transition.

But the hang up for the government leaders was the unwillingness of the officers to take furloughs. Though the local officer association suggestions would save the local government more money in the long run.

Oh yeah. These government leaders really know how to take care of their citizens safety and pocketbooks. And show their support of their local law enforcement.

Wonder if citizens can do a McChrystal to these local government leaders?

Returning to Work

2010-06-23T06:11:00.001-07:00

After almost 12 days away from this hell hole, I returned to everything the same. Except with now less people to carry out the work.

Tired of hearing we should be glad we have a job when others are getting laid off. If those in charge had been doing their jobs in the first place we wouldn't be in this financial crisis and having to release people from work who actually work.

Notice all the upper division jobs are still intact. How nice for them. They may actually have to work now that their support staff is all gone.

And our poor citizens are being asked to become volunteers and learn how to do fingerprinting and write reports to take reports from other citizens like vehicle burglaries, graffitti, etc. Can only imagine the court cases and their testimony in court. See this volunteer, in his 80's, saying he just wanted to help the police and live out his childhood dream of being a cop, and though the fingerprint cards might be a little smeared they matched other cards from other similar crimes and ain't it a hoot that he got to be a real crime fighter.

And what's this crap about just taking one call at a time? Seeing all those calls waiting for answering can drive me crazy. And the callers get more stupid and more stupid. Am so tempted to point out how stupid and ridiculus the caller is being.

Summers mean additional calls for service. The heat really brings out the crazies. And I am expected to put in more hours.

Canidate for Mother of the Year

2010-06-16T21:36:00.001-07:00

Actually had to wait a few days before posting this one.

Seventeen year old calls in tears. Mom has locked her out of the house, again. She went to friends house who sheltered her so she could stay in school. Mom knows where she is at.

Apparently Mom kicked out daughter because daughter told Mom about Mom's boyfriend making inappropriate comments and keeps invading her personal space and so far just touching her shoulders and neck. Mom says daughter is lying and just trying to make trouble. So kicked her out.

The important boyfriend has a criminal history and is a sexual predator registrant.

Okay, clearly he is a catch and her daughter is not worth the effort.

The hardest thing about the phone call was I couldn't give her any real help. Mom can call her back at any time because the girl is not yet of legal age. School is coming to close and talking to the counselor gave her the phone number to a support group. Father is deceased and maternal grandmother more afraid of her daughter, the mother to the young girl.

It seemed so wrong that I couldn't tell her to stay away as best she can. Start organizing other homes willing to offer shelter until her 18th birthday. Wish I had asked when that was happening. Wish I could have offered her the shelter of my own home.

Wish I could have done something to help this girl. There are times when this job really sucks.

The Gall of Some People

2010-06-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Okay. This blog was created as a means to express the ups and downs of the public safety dispatching job. And ever so often it is a single phone call that just makes you sit back in your chair and wonder about the gall of some people.

Female calls up screaming mad that her daughter's school is refusing to allow the child's father (her husband) to attend their daughter's junior high school graduation.

Further questioning reveals the following:

Father has been arrested for assault on school grounds to school staff and damage to school property. In fact, he has an outstanding warrant for those very charges.

Okay ma'am. So you're wanting the school to basically reward his past bad behavior, on the very school grounds that he created this problem, so he can watch his daughter graduate from junior high school? And you know he has this warrant that is over a year old?

Her reply, minus the dramatic sighs, high volume and lack of non-cursing verbal skills, was the school was being rude and unprofessional and it wasn't right. She even suggested to the school that they just have their daughter graduate within the first half hour and he could leave.

Clearly this woman is living in la-la land to think a school is going to totally rewrite the agenda for the graduation ceremony to accommodate a man who has little self-control and a lack of ownership to his bad actions by not handling the warrant.

The kicker to this story? The female caller has her own outstanding warrant for..... drum roll.... assault and vandalism.

Sensitivity Training

2010-06-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

If you do this job for very long, you really lose the ability to be sensitive and feel empathy for many of the callers and citizens. Not all of the people who call in are waste of breathing room on the planet. Some really are victims of others greed and stupidity. They are worthy of our heart-clenches and quick intakes of breath.

But it is those other callers that I want to rag about.

I have a wonderful manicurist. Part of the reason we have had a client relationship that has evolved into friendship over many years is partially because she is a former police dispatcher. Yes, some dispatchers actually leave the headache inducing - stomach clenching - despair rendering job and find very self-satisfying work away from the trauma and drama of daily public safety dispatching work. She has become a great sounding board who truly understands the ups and downs of the job. She can commiserate.

Our last time together we were talking about how I have lost so much of my empathy over all these years of listening to doom and gloom and horror. It isn't a "something" a person can find in lost and found. It isn't a "something" one can hold or wear like a piece of jewelry. I feel the loss inside. Am aware of the loss of the "piece" because I know there was a time when I felt the need to help those who needed it or wanted it. Don't have the need any more.

She shared with me the phone call that got her assigned to sensitivity training.

A victim of domestic violence was calling 9-1-1 for help. Suspect was outside the door and she didn't know what to do. As this was not the first time the victim has been beat up or the first time she has called in for help, my manicurist - then dispatcher - simply told her, "Don't open the fucking door. He can't get in and hurt you if you don't open the fucking door for him."

I'm hearing this story, raising my mental fist going "rah rah", and recognizing the desire to replicate her response to some of my callers. Okay, truthfully, to many of my callers.

Sadly, as our phone calls/work is recorded, it was brought to the attention of the supervisor and sergeant about her response to the woman's pleas on what to do. The smile of the sergeant was hard to hold back apparently as he listened to the call, again, with the former dispatcher. The supervisor gave a huge sigh and said that this former dispatcher would clearly benefit from sensitivity training, reminding her that it is not her job as a call taker to offer such, aww, direct solutions to domestic situations.

How many of us dispatchers / call takers / officers haven't wanted to utter those words of advise? Raise your hands.

Sometimes the stupidity, only word I can think of besides the multiple words of their tunnel vision thinking, to describe our citizens, just doesn't compute with me. And listening to their whines and acquiesce to their surroundings and situations without backbone and conjones to work for more and better just boggles this above average IQ'd person.

To the men and women who accept verbal and/or psychological and/or physical abuse from their partners...

"Don't open the fucking door. You can't get hurt if you don't open the fucking door and let them in."

You Know....

2010-05-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

You Know You've Been A Dispatcher Too Long When:

You eat more fast food than leftovers/homemade meals
You have forgotten how to read a clock in anything but military time
U can't write a ltr w/o it being abbd
You answer your home phone or cell phone, "9-1-1, What's your emergency?"
The thought of working a Monday through Friday 8:00 am - 5:oo pm job terrifies you
You can talk clearly with food in your mouth, after all, we only eat between phone calls
You dream in code: 10-code, 11-code, Vehicle Code, Penal Code, Municipal Code

Calls With Children The Worst

2010-05-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

We get stupid callers every day - all day. And basically I try to keep my patience on the surface and the anger in check. But when the stupidity and cruelness and laziness hurts or endangers a child, I really find it hard to not unload on these jerks.

Today one of my last calls on shift was a guy who was very very angry I wasn't sending an officer right out to the apartment his x-girlfriend has been living at because she has their mutual child. This is basically what happened:

Caller and his girlfriend had a lovely little girl. After awhiles apparently mom picked up a meth habit. After she lied and stole from everyone, she got kicked out of her house, her family disowned her, and caller finally got daughter moved in to his place. The mother moved in with a friend who also is dealing with their own meth addiction.

Three weeks later caller gives in to the mother's cries of missing their daughter. He meets her at a park so mother and daughter can have a little time together. Mother sneeks away with the child. Now caller trying to find the child and mother and demanding we take the child back and arrest the mother.

Here's the kicker. Has no clue where she and the child are located. Mother has no job. No family member will have anything to do with her. And she's not at the apartment she has been staying at for the last couple of weeks. And there is no custody order either. But apparently we are the bad guys for not locating the mother and child and taking the child away and give her back to caller.

There's the really rough call from yesterday. A 2 year old child is dead under suspicious circumstances. When the family members first called 9-1-1 there was a lot of confusion on what was happening. Then family members were moving the phone to person to person while conferring with the medical assistance.

One person would be calm and repeat/yell out instructions on how to provide CPR. One person would get on the phone and scream and cry (didn't sound true). Another person would get on the phone and act confused and bewildered (which did sound like a normal mental state).

They had all kinds of reasons why the child wasn't breathing. And the way the call was going, I wonder if they were really trying to even give CPR to the child. Officers arrived on scene and found suspicious marks on the child. Now under investigation.

Or the candiate for Mother-of-the-Year call for service that just happened. Fourteen year old daughter ran away. Mother reported the event to the police. Couple days later the daughter shows up at the local hospital emergency room early hours of the morn clearly having been beaten up. Hospital staff call the police to advise there is an assault victim in their emergency room who also admits to being a runaway.

Officers arrive to take a report. Girl is very frightened to share all that happened to her, the recent beating in addition to the reasons for running away. From what little I gleaned, the girl ran from an abusive home only to end up being beaten up by one of the people at the location she was hiding at.

The kicker to this event is the mother's reaction. The officer calls her to say daughter has been located, is at the hospital being treated for abrasions as the result of being beaten up, about to be released, so come on over and pick her up. Mom says nope, don't want her, arrest her and send her away and the hospital better not be sending her a bill for the medical assistance.

Calls for service that deal with children are the worst. When adults are being stupid with other adults and hurting themselves, I can laugh it off. But when their adult stupidity and selfishness and their own wants/desires actions take control of their behavior that injures or kills or puts a child in dangers way is just not acceptable.

The father calling in worried about his daughter failed her by not protecting her from a mother with a known drug addiction by being lazy and not filing for custody of the child and not keeping a close enough eye on them while at the park.

The parents of the toddler failed the child by not taking care of the gift they had.

The mother of the teen clearly can't be bothered with the needs of her child who is more willing to take on the outside world than to stay home under the abusive living conditions created by who knows what problems the mother has, real and/or not.

Wish I could figure out the way to solve this issue. Or at least have the freedom to kick their asses and subject them to the same lack of care and abuse they dished out to their children.

Cell Phones

2010-05-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Seems like everyone has them. Some of them are even advertised and promoted as being "smart". Too bad their owners/users are not.

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
"Oh, you mean I can call 9-1-1 from my cell phone?"
"Yes, sir, just like your home phone. Do you have an emergency?"
'No, just wanted to know what I can do with my cell phone."

"9-1-1, what is your emergency?"
-baby babble-
"Hi baby. Where is mama? Say mama."
-baby babble-
"Say mama, baby. Where is mama?"
"What are you doing with my phone? Give it back to me."
hang up
call back
"Hello?"
"Hi, ma'am. This is 9-1-1. Your baby was playing with your cell phone and called 9-1-1. Everything alright?"
"Lady, you crazy. He's only six months old. How he gonna call 9-1-1?"
"On many cell phones it is very easy to dial 9-1-1 by mistake. We just call back to make sure everything is alright."
"My baby did not call 9-1-1 and you're wasting my time."
hang up

"9-1-1. What is your emergency?"
"My boyfriend won't let me see my baby."
"Is he there right now ma'am?"
"No. He left a couple days ago with my baby. I want my baby back."
"Ma'am, 9-1-1 is for life and death emergencies. Please call our non-emergency line."
"This is an emergency. He won't let me have my baby back."
"Is there a custody order ma'am?"
"A what? What for? I'm the mother. I'm here right now to pick up my baby and he won't let me in."
"Is the baby his?"
"Yeah. So what? I'm the mother. I'm the one who takes care of him."
"We can not take the child away from him. I suggest you go to the court house and file for custody."
"I want my baby back!"
"Ma'am, if you have any questions, please call our non-emergency line. Better yet, head to the court house to file for custody. You don't even need an attorney."
"You have to do something or I will."
"Ma'am. Please think before you do anything. Get yourself some legal advice."
"What good are the police if they can't help?"
*Note: We ended up out there to arrest the mother for assault and vandalism against baby father and his apartment.*

Cell phones can be helpful. A great tool. At times I can't imagine living without mine. But wish those citizens that I serve would be smart when using their smart phones.

I'm A Hero Too

2010-05-06T04:31:00.000-07:00

As much as our local newspaper loves to slam our Officers for every real or imagined slight, they have been known to acknowledge some of the good work of these men and women in blue. Saying that, I do wish that the Dispatchers were remembered and thought of as hero's too.

Imagine sitting in a windowless room, with padded walls lacking any real color, a few scattered photo enlargements of outdoor scenes, maybe three feet from the person sitting next to you, in chairs not designed for 24 hour use, two to three computer screens in front of you, listening to hour upon hour upon hour of crying, complaining, whining, confusion, panic, pain, fear, anger, drunken conversation, lectures on how to do the job, demands what they expect from you, language barriers and accents, well, you get the picture.

In response to these working conditions we must soothe, pull information from minds not functioning fully due to either or combination of alcohol/drugs/fear/confusion/anger/pain/panic/language/accents, answer questions - many of which should be asked of a legal advisor (but we're cheaper), give directions, play nursemaid, marriage and/or mental health counselor, phone information operator, well, you get the picture.

When working the radio we deal with sometimes an unending list of calls for service waiting to be dispatched. Anywhere between 12 to 70 officers listed as present on my screen, thus my responsibility of keeping safe and knowledgeable of where they are at all times. Officers who are so focused on what they are doing out in the field they are not paying attention to the dispatcher who is also trying to assist 20 other officers and keeps talking over or demanding more information to be researched, while assisting yet another 20 officers and dispatching calls for service. Trying to understand what they are saying while eating their mikes, or yelling into the mikes, or asking them to repeat because they are speaking so fast my 100+ words per minutes cannot keep up.

Citizens treat us like nit-wits and mentally slow because we tell them we can't do what they are wanting or simply not understanding how, as law enforcement, we can solve the problem overnight that they created over years of refusal to deal with the problem. Citizens feel as Public Servants it is our job to cater to their needs and wants, whether reasonable or not.

Officers treat us like we are of a lower society class, there for their needs and wants. Our job to simplify their lives. Get all the necessary information before they arrive. Know instinctively the back up or additional equipment necessary. We should be mind readers and know what is happening out there. And heaven forbid a "thank you" and "well done" be uttered more than once or twice a year.

Our Supervisors and the Brass have no problems dumping additional responsibilities or cutting back minimum staffing. They are fast to criticize and "Monday Morning Quarterback" and very short to praise and acknowledge good work. A "thank you" and "well done" even more foreign from that quarter.

Because I do this job with the best heart and patience and tolerance and incongruity and intelligence and skill and tears that I can muster, hour after hour, makes me a Hero too, dammit.

You're Being Paid To Work

2010-05-03T11:38:00.000-07:00

This tirade is directed at those co-workers who find time to talk on their cells (am really tired of hearing their phones go off, too - but for another posting), talk with other dispatchers over non-work issues for great lengths of time, take extra long breaks and lunches, or just extra breaks... in other words... not doing the work they are being paid for.

Yes, I know, every office has this problem. I have worked private industry for many years. Am aware no matter how small or how large an office is, there is always someone who seems to skate by on minimal work output. Usually they are related to or have some sort of relationship with, the one in charge.

In the Communications Center, the Supervisor's favorites always seem to be the laziest on shift. The dispatchers who socialize with the Supervisor in their office for half-an-hour a few times a week. The Supervisor who rides you about a call for service made up but you see a similar type call handled almost exactly by a favorite that seems to carry different weight.

For those of us with work ethics, who know and recognize we are being paid to work and have numerous calls for service made up, computer records can show numerous phone calls fielded, forwarded or assisted, who only take the allotted break times and number permitted, who put their cell phones on mute, who keep personal phone conversations to a minimum (because, let's face it kids, it is impossible not to have occasional personal phone conversation at work) and just do the job overall, I salute you.

As lay-offs continue to mount up the body count of the law enforcement unemployed, as the crime rate continues to rise, as the volume of calls asking for assistance getting more frequent, as the weather warms and the beer flows more freely, as the demand on our attention and time and psychological health at work increases exponentially, let's rise and kick in the arse those who aren't pulling their weight. And remind them, they are getting paid to work. And if they don't want to work then let them volunteer for lay-off. Then they can take as many breaks and as long a break as they want. This is not the time to allow their laziness and thoughtlessness and poor work ethics or their personal relationship with the Supervisor to impact us any more.

Let's unite against these people who instead of helping carry the burden of work they add to the stress and work levels. I don't know about you, but I'm friggin' tired of it!

Hello

2010-04-29T05:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay. Been away for awhile. Not away from the work, but away from here. And I really need to get back. Makes me feel better to share my experiences with those who have dealt with similar problems.

Guess you could say I am back in fighting form. Like many dispatchers, sometimes the work grabs your inside, twists, and holds on with feverish strength to weaken the person. The combination of callers sharing their drama and trauma hour after hour after hour; the officers eating their mikes and angry you ask them to repeat; the co-workers who seem to find time to talk and socialize while you're going from call to call to call, can really wear down a person.

So, new attitude is needed.

Like many departments across this great land, we have had layoffs and reduction of staffing. Which has reduced some services to the public, like no more officer response for cold crimes, but citizens encouraged to use the on-line reporting system for their case number.

Citizens are not happy with these changes. Feel shortchanged and frustrated. Yeah, as a citizen I can agree. But it is a sad reality of our current economic times. And no improvement is seen anywhere in the horizon.

How are other agencies dealing with the changes? Do those agency dispatchers also get the feeling like they are getting dumped on? Made to sooth the angry citizens? Getting yelled at more by citizens? How are you handling the additional stress?

Life Coach?

2009-08-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Life coach, or a personal coach, is usually a hired person to help assist another person with their personal developement. They help a person set and achieve specific goals.

The above is not in my job description as a police dispatcher.

But yet, every day, there are calls with questions and requests for help that would fall in line with what a life coach would assist with. Not criminal matters, but people needing help and guidance. Sometimes it is a matter of voicing what the caller already knows, they just seem to need someone to say it out loud. Sometimes it is more serious and the call taker can only give them names to numerous agencies and phone numbers to contact to get the needed and necessary help.

The bottom line is, why am I not getting paid the big bucks that a certified life coach can and does make? Am I not, many times a day, doing the very job a life coach is hired to do? And they get more respect than a lowly police dispatcher.

What is wrong with this picture?

Only So Many Hours In A Day

2009-08-05T07:46:00.000-07:00

Law enforcement is a 24 hour / 7 days a week / 365 days a year job. This means there is a need for someone to answer the phones and work the radio at any and all given minutes. This means many of us don't exactly work 8-5 Monday through Friday, which means we sleep at odd hours and work weekends and holidays.

This isn't exactly news now is it? So why do people have a problem understanding that those of us in the law enforcement field aren't always available when families and friends are together? Why do they cop (excuse the pun) an attitude when you're not available?

This has been grating on my lately as friends and family have really been having a problem and 'tude with the fact I am not available for all the meetings and gatherings they have been planning. That I sometimes have to work late and so arrive late at the party. Since my shift starts super early in the mornings I go to bed really early. So please understand I am not able to answer the phone to just chat at 7:00 pm. Yes, I am sorry I am missing that baby shower but I will be getting off a 14 hour shift and have to return to work in nine hours. I am sorry I can't attend a club meeting that starts at the hour I go to bed because I have work the next morning.

So Back Off! Quit Whining About Me Not Being At Your Planned Event! It Is Not A Snub! Don't Take It Personally! I Am Working!

-Whew- That felt good.

Awww... The Bliss of Ignorance

2009-08-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

It has been nasty busy lately. Yes, the heat and the increased alcohol use and abuse is common to this time of year creating higher calls for service phenomenon. But the type of calls lately has really been nasty.

A definite increase in violent crimes. A definite increase in crimes where drugs and/or alcohol are present. A definite increase in crimes involving identity theft and fraud.

Some say it is caused by the poor economy. Many people out of work and have nothing else to do but take drugs and drink alcohol. (Never understood that phrase... if you don't have money for rent and food, how do you get the money for alcohol and drugs? Oh, yeah, something about choosing the effects caused by alcohol and drugs over sustaining your life.)

Most people in the community I work in have no idea just how bad it is getting. That is to their advantage in many ways.

Because I am privy to so much information it makes me really happy and safe feeling to know I don't live here. Yes, I know that there are probably many of the same horrible things happening in the large community I work happening in the small community I reside. But I don't know about it so I feel much safer.

There is great bliss in the ignorance.

Not On My Watch

2009-08-02T07:21:00.000-07:00

I yell and scream and gripe about this job a lot on this blog. That's why I created it. So I had a place to vent my anger and frustration. After all, this job is nothing but stress and trauma and drama.

But... ever so often... there is a call... that reminds you why you are here and going this job.

I played an important part of stopping a woman from committing suicide.

She called to let the agency know she was preparing to step in front of a train that was due shortly at her chosen location. She knew the schedule and knew approximately how fast it would be going. She just wanted us to know so we could respond quickly to help clean up the mess (which she apologized for) so others didn't have to see it or come up on it unexpectedly.

She was very matter-of-fact. Was talking very calmly. Explained why she felt it was the thing to do. How taking too many pills hadn't worked, just made her sick. And cutting her wrists only gave her new and additional scars. That this was the fastest and easiest way to do it.

I know in many ways it was my training that helped to keep her on the phone until officers arrived to get her the necessary help. Not my winning personality. I know that there is a good chance, a very good chance, she will eventually make good her attempt at suicide.

But it didn't happen that day on my watch.

Nationalized Health Care

2009-07-30T12:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know, this is suppose to be a law enforcement blog. BUT... the possibility of Nationalized Health Care is becoming a sore point with me. Cause I lose benefits at the same cost. And I have heard how it benefits illegal alliens. But here is another part of the population that will benefit greatly. Drug users. Yes, natural born citizens who prefer the life under the fog of illegal narcotics. Now, it will be easier for them to seek and obtain medical and dental and optical care. And they don't pay a penny for it. Not even through employment taxes. And certainly not through sale tax cause they don't exactly spend their monies in a positive manner. ugh... the losers in the Nationalized Health Care program are the ones who work and pay taxes. People who work more than 40 hours a week to keep shelter over their and their family heads, clothes on their backs, and food in their stomachs.

9-1-1 Does Not Mean 4-1-1

2009-07-25T05:19:00.000-07:00

Why do people think calling 9-1-1 to get the non emergency phone number for the police is acceptable? Are people really that dense? Are people really that stupid? That lazy?

Just another example of how little regard people have for their local law enforcement.

Simple Observation

2009-07-17T13:56:00.000-07:00

Just a simple observation. An action I see, or rather hear, daily from both sides of the telephone.

Why is it when the person who is speaking to someone who English is not the primary language... or when the person who is speaking English as a second or third language...

... almost always each end talks much louder than normal. Does the speaker really believe the listener will understand better if the volume is raised?

Constitutional Rights - Part Three

2009-07-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

Constitutional Rights - Part Two

2009-07-13T04:39:00.000-07:00

Note: When I started this write up/blog, after two hours of writing, I realized that it was so long, no one would truly read what I wrote. Not that I write for any special person to read, I am hoping someone is taking the time to read my wanderings. So will be breaking this up into three Parts over the next three days.

When we take the oath at the time of our hire for a law enforcement job, we promise to uphold the laws of our city/county, state and Constitution. What is not part of the oath is our willingness to give up our own Constitutional Rights, our Bill of Rights in the Constitution. For example:

Amendment V - No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

If you are even thought to be part of a crime, you are put on leave. And the double jeopardy? Well, let's see... there is the IA investigation/charges/actions. And then the actual crime issues. That is, if you are actually part of a crime. And then the media prosecution, that goes on long after the actual event or trial has happened. And not be a witness against self? Oh please, like we have any personal space that isn't open to our supervisors at any given time. On duty and off duty. Don't they tell us that even our off duty time is subject to scrutiny and we must uphold our actions and opinions accordingly? Does that not deprive us of some personal life and liberty without or with a very limited about of due process of law?

Amendment VI - In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

The speedy and public trial is done in the newspapers and on the news stations. Not in the courts. Are they not? Don't these "news" writers make a decision on your guilt (not your innocence) and report it as fact? If you think not I suggest you just turn on any news station and pick up any newspaper or google for news article that pertains to a member of law enforcement that is being investigated or alleged to be part of a crime.

Amendment VII - In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Twenty dollars? Okay, even looking over that point, law enforcement staff are open to lawsuits unlike any other career, due to the type of work we do and the subject manner we handle. As dispatchers, we can be sued in civil court for matters that officers can not. Now tell me, is that fair? Is that right? Oh yeah, we don't have a union or organization with power like officers have.

Our Constitutional Rights - Part One

2009-07-12T05:37:00.000-07:00

Note: When I started this write up/blog, after two hours of writing, I realized that it was so long, no one would truly read what I wrote. Not that I write for any special person to read, I am hoping someone is taking the time to read my wanderings. So will be breaking this up into three Parts over the next three days.

When we take the oath at the time of our hire for a law enforcement job, we promise to uphold the laws of our city/county, state and Constitution. What is not part of the oath is our willingness to give up our own Constitutional Rights, our Bill of Rights written in the Constitution. For example:

Amendment I
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

As a member of law enforcement, we don't have the right to state our views or opinions. At least, not in public. Has to be behind closed doors. And hope there is no audience because it could come back and bite you in the ass at a court case (remember the Simpson trial) or for disciplinary action (for those of us who blog our thoughts/opinions and are threatened with our jobs if we continue).

Amendment II
A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

Most officers carry firearms off duty. After all, never know when a suspect they have dealt with decides for a little payback. But those of us who also deal with these same suspects are not permitted to carry a weapon for protection. After all, we are invisible, they don't know our names. Right. Testifying in court or other information that can be derived from watching the people coming and going from the department is obtainable. And there are those family members who have been known to carry off their own retribution. But we are not candidates for retribution? Okay... Guess those dispatch centers that have been shot up were just accidents?

Amendment III
No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

Anyone ever hear of eminent domain? Okay, this one we haven't had to give up by joining law enforcement.

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Our work lockers are open for search and seizure at any given time. Our purses and other personal items we carry to work are open for search and seizure at any given time. Our phones calls are monitored. Our computer work is monitored. At the agency there is no, I repeat no, right to privacy.

This Is A Joke, Right?

2009-02-25T20:57:00.000-08:00

Okay. I waited a couple weeks before posting this little piece of tidbit. One reason was I had to calm down. The other reason is my fear someone from my agency would read this and figure out who "Tired Dispatcher" truly is. And yes, I believe the world revolves around me and that I am being spied upon and watched constantly. Think I shared in the past I hear voices in my head. Well, at work at least.

Time for the tidbit: Our agency, once a year, recognizes employees from every department/division within the agency, sworn and non-sworn. The Commander of our communications bureau was awarded the Employee of the Year for ComCen. Yes, you read that correctly. He was nominated (not sure by who) and chosen as Employee of the Year for the Communications Center.

Let's see, what does the Commander do for communications? Two years ago he doubled our work stations in the same size dispatch center, forcing us to work almost elbow-to-elbow. He has helped to hire additional people so that our overtime has been greatly reduced. hhmmm... what else?

He isn't tied to a work station by an umbilical cord, aka headset/radioset. He leaves his office whenever he wants. Takes vacations and long weekends whenever he wants. Gets all the holidays off.

Most importantly, he doesn't answer calls coming in by the hundreds every day into the dispatch center. He doesn't handle the front line of dealing with trauma and drama phone calls. He doesn't sit at the radio and try to manage 20 or 70 officers and their needs and get out calls for service in a timely manner.

He doesn't deal with the daily responsibilities and stresses of dispatch. He is an officer, a member of the brass, assigned to the communications center. He will promote. He will be reassigned to other departments within the police department. He isn't limited like dispatchers are.

So how does this make him an employee of dispatch much less the employee of the year?

9-1-1 Calls

2009-01-23T07:48:00.000-08:00

One frustrating, waste of time, events we regularly handle as emergency 9-1-1 dispatchers are dealing with those 9-1-1 calls that aren’t emergencies. You know what I’m talking about. Those 9-1-1 callers who say oops misdial or those people who give their little kids their cells phones so the kids can push buttons and tone to deaf the dispatcher answering the phone.

I love those callers that when you call them back to confirm everything is okay after a 9-1-1 hang up or abandoned call and they argue with you and want to know why you’re bothering them and calling them for no reason. Do they honestly believe I am that bored that I dial numbers randomly just to accuse them of falsely calling 9-1-1?

How many of you have had this call?

Me: Hello. Hello. (over an open 9-1-1 call)

Caller: Hello? Is there someone on this phone?

Me: Hello. This is ________ Police Department. We received a 9-1-1 call from this cell phone. Is everything okay?

Caller: Oh my. Yes. Everything is okay. I put my cell phone in my purse/bag/briefcase/backpack (choose one) and it must have accidentally dialed out. I could hear voices yelling “hello”. Was that you?

Me: Yes sir/madam (choose one again). I am trying to confirm if there is a problem.

Caller: Well, clearly it was an accident. I just said I heard voices coming from my purse/bag/briefcase/backpack (do you really need to choose again?) and was answering.

Me: Yes sir/madam (never mind). I understand about the voices you hear from no where. (Okay, it is my dream to say that.)

Customer Service

2009-01-21T05:47:00.000-08:00

A big part of our job is, well, customer service, to be blunt. Like the clerk in a store or the ticket agent at our favorite airline, we provide customer service. We determine what the “customer” wants and needs are and give them the necessary information (go to court and obtain a restraining order or serve your 30 year old lazy bum of a son with an eviction notice) or obtain for them the services (an officer or guys with the little white jackets) needed.

Not everyone is happy with the level of customer service we provide. We are refusing to send an officer to talk to their out of control 15 year daughter and instead tell them to talk to the school counselor and learn to handle their child without using the boys and girls in uniform as a threat. A vehicle burglary is not handled with them same priority as a robbery which can upset the victim who just lost a chunk of their CD selection and has to wait two or eight hours for a Cadet or Community Service Officer to respond.

But we, as dispatchers, trudge on and try to serve the angry caller with the best diplomacy possible. We can’t point out to them how stupid and childish they are acting when they call in about a child custody issue. We can’t be blunt and tell parents to grow a backbone or a pair of cajones and deal with their children as an adult instead of their friend. We have to be respectful and try to assist.

Many a moon ago I worked for the Disney Corporation. Guest Service is drilled into you from day one and reinforced through monthly staff meetings and games and challenges. Respect for the other person, guest and co-worker, is always in the forefront as is trying to help the guest with questions or directions or problems being paramount. Leaving a positive impression, even when the other person has to be corrected and not getting exactly what they want, is required.

One lesson I like to think I have brought to my dispatching job from my time with “The Happiest Place On Earth” is the ability to acknowledge the other person’s problem without having to fake or express empathy. People call us with their traumas and dramas, sometimes brought on by their own actions. By the simple act of acknowledging their anger or pain or confusion can go a long way in calming the caller. You don’t have to say, “I understand” if you don’t. Just let them know you hear them.

Finding Balance

2009-01-19T09:46:00.001-08:00

The title of this blog says it all. It is a fact that in this job we deal with a lot of stress. We face people’s traumas and dramas on a daily basis. The last blog discussed stress from within and seemed to hit a couple nerves. How does one (meaning 9-1-1 dispatchers or really anyone in law enforcement) find balance and not get dark when faced with all that negativity?

When I work with new dispatchers and new officers, I lecture them (harsh word but apropos) on the need to find balance. In this job they will face and deal with a lot of dark moments and dark people. They will listen for hour upon hour of pain and anger and scared people calling for help. They will be witness to the worst of human (and that’s a generous term) behavior to other humans.

I call that “The Uglies”. To counter the effect, to find balance, I recommend new dispatchers and new officers find “The Pretties” to survive.

“The Pretties” can be joining and active within a community service organization. Or being a Scout Master. Or volunteering at a hospital or animal shelter. “The Pretties” are your efforts in giving back to your community. And it doesn’t even have to be the same community you work in. “The Pretties” are having the opportunity and ability to see and be part of something positive and good.

Yes, I know, we do a lot of good with our job. But it is still wrapped up within “The Uglies” of our work. By being part of “The Pretties” we find balance and can get a feeling of being whole.

Another important way to find balance in our job is to have a circle of friends and activities that are not work related. I guess this would be for just about any job. But in law enforcement, it is really important to be able to separate yourself from the “shop talk” and have to actually think and talk about other subjects that are not related to your job.

So many people I work with seem to have no life outside of their work. Their circles of friends are co-workers. Their extra curricular activities are being reserve officers or mounted patrol or attending all the functions the different divisions have. Or is a union steward and attends every meeting at every level of the union.

So, dear readers, if you are involved with law enforcement do yourself a big favor. Find an activity that has nothing to do with your job but is actually a positive activity or addition to your community. Create a circle of friends, even if only two or three, that have nothing to do with law enforcement so your conversations can be more entertaining and fun, like talking about politics or religion. Or you can be part of an activity that is not work related but fun, like bronco riding or windsurfing.

It is all a matter of finding balance between “The Uglies” of work and “The Pretties” of the world around us.

Work Negativity

2009-01-11T08:31:00.000-08:00

This is a common topic found on dispatcher, and even officer, blogs. Negativity at the work place. Negativity against co-workers. Recently at my work place it has really gotten out of hand.

So to better deal with the problem, though I know part of the problem is the lack of support from supervisors who play for their favorites, I did a little research and found this list of the top five causes of employee negativity. This is a survey from 1,100 employees and 300 senior human resources executives.

An Excessive Workload

Our workload is ever flexing and ever changing. Most of us seem to deal with manpower shortages and lots of overtime. Agency after agency has seen an increase of criminal activity and thus additional demand on our limited resources. Also with this cold and wet season, lots of people calling in sick. Just finishing the holiday seasons, too, when people love to call in sick because they want the time off to share with families. Only adds to the workload we are already handle every shift.

Our workload entails listening and problem solving people/callers problems for 8-15 hours at a time. Day in, day out. We hear and are exposed to trauma and drama on a constant basis.

Concerns About Management's Ability to Lead

This is where we as employees don't trust our supervisors. Most of us don't feel that our supervisors are truly looking out for our best interests, but just reinforcing the brass' dictates. And the brass doesn't give us in dispatch more thought than they have to.

Anxiety About The Future, Particular Longer Term, Income & Retirement Security

Now, up until a month ago I would have said, this is not one of our notable stress indicators. Once you've passed your probation, in a Civil Service job, you are pretty much set. It is really hard to get rid of people in civil service. Takes lots of documentation and sessions/meetings.

But recently, Cities and Counties are releasing sworn and non-sworn personnel. They are cutting back, hiring freezes, and even demoting some brass to save monies. Never thought I would see this event.

So that means income and our retirement system changes. Heck, in more than one state the Governor has "raided" the employee retirement systems to help offset some of the state's debts.

Lack of Challenge In Their Work, w/ Boredom Intensifying Existing Frustration About Workload

Okay, this is not one of our problems in law enforcement. In fact, it is just the opposite. It is the constant challenges and changes and flexibility we must flex with every phone call or every shift on radio that intensifies work stress and negativity. Think of it, if you're constantly being subjected to negativity and despair, don't you start to absorb it?

Insufficient Recognition For The Level Of Contribution And Effort Provided

One of the reasons listed for workload anxiety is "insufficient recognition for the level of contribution and effort provided". Boy, ain't this the truth. Dispatch is the ugly step child in a police department and gets the shaft so much of the time. And overlooked by officers and brass when an individual makes any extra effort. Just told you're doing your job.

"This is a snapshot of causes of employee negativity. If you can eliminate these five, you have gone a long way in the direction of building a positive, supportive work environment. You’ve minimized the potential for employee negativity."

Well, you would think that since all of us have to deal with the same five issues in the same small work area (most behind locked doors and many without the benefit of windows) we would be drawn and able to work as a team better and more uniformingly. Because of our united purposes and goals and problems, we should be moving in a more harmonious direction. Instead, we seem to turn on each other and bicker over everything and anything.

We complain to our supervisors and we bad mouth each other to our co-horts (notice I don't write co-workers). We don't relieve when we should those people we don't like. We don't acknowledge them or their greeting when issued. We snark and sabotage.

Like the job isn't stressful enough.

Above information was obtained from web address: http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/negativitycause.htm

True Story

2009-01-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

Took a phone call that is so sad it's funny.

Caller: I want to report my daughter's boyfriend hit her.

(start taking the information)

Caller: I have his picture, I can give that to the officer. Daughter carries it in her wallet.

Me: Okay, well, you can share that with the officer.

Caller: It's his mug shot from when he was in prison. Will that help find him?

Me: Ah, your daughter carries her boyfriends mug shot? In her wallet?

Caller: Yeah. Most girls carry their boyfriends pictures in their wallet.

Me: But this is his mugshot she carries?

Caller: Ah, yeah. He was in prison for assault and got out a couple months ago. My daughter just hasn't gotten a newer picture of him, that's all.

It's the truth. The above is almost word for word a fairly recent conversation with a caller. It makes me wonder, is the mother really that comfortable with her daughter dating a felon? Thinks it is okay for her daughter to carry her boyfriend's mugshot as a love token?

Warrants & Money

2009-01-07T05:31:00.000-08:00

Like many areas, if you turn someone in who has a warrant, there is a good chance you will get a cash reward. After all, like most agencies, we are dependent on good citizens to be our eyes and ears and let us know where these nefarious people are located. We can only be in so many places.

But, then again, unless you are willing to reward these citizens, they aren't willing to spill the information.

Just handled a call from a woman who went through the service that manages our local reward system to confirm the person had a warrant. The caller knows where this wanted woman is located and knows there is a no bail warrant. Which means the Courts don't want this suspect bailing out of jail before she can make an appearance to answer for her numerous crimes.

But because the managing service transferred the call without giving the caller a special code number, and angry I can't guarantee her a reward, she refused to give up the information.

Saw what??

Being a responsible citizen and getting this dangerous person off the street isn't reward enough? You have to be paid to report the suspects location?

I wonder, we can arrest the caller for harboring a wanted person as she clearly knows where the wanted female is located and refusing to share the information with the proper law enforcement agency? Wonder if any agency has tried to do this? Yeah, probably bad public relations. But, shoot.....

Readers? Comments?

Shootings and Knifings and Fights, Oh My

2009-01-04T05:17:00.000-08:00

What the heck is happening out there?!?! Three shootings tonight. Two shootings, a knifing and two physical fights with injuries yesterday. People are literally ripping and tearing each other up in my town. Were we gassed as part of a Government test to measure the level of testosterone necessary to have people turn on each other? Or are we being infected by an alien germ that is designed to bring out the most aggressive side of our natures? Could it be a conspiracy to increase our dead body counts so we can increase our requests for funds to increase our number of sworn personnel?

Oh My. I am scaring myself. Seems like every call for service lately has been of a call of aggression and destructive behavior. Where are all my banal calls for violations of child custody orders and audible burglar alarms and vehicle vandalisms. Oh, they're still there. Just getting lost in all the violence.

Anyone have an opinion?

Thought for the Day

2009-01-04T01:42:00.000-08:00

"We live in an age when pizza gets to your home before the police."
Jeff Mader, Actor

Is this not a great quote? Our agency has as part of its motto (not quoting exactly to protect, well, me): Response in professional, courteous and timely manner.

Reality: If you're lucky you will get a Community Service Officer or Cadet to your residential burglary in an hour. If you're lucky you will get an Officer to talk to your neighbors about their loud music in less than three hours. If you're lucky, you will get that callback from a light duty Officer or CSO or Cadet for the telephonic report of lost property or fraud within two days.

The above is not an exaggeration.

Officers are much better in responding to accidents and fights and shootings. You know, those "hot calls". Where they get to be a real police officer. Not a secretary taking personal information from a victim of theft or counselor listening to the whinings about unruly neighbors.

After all, most of those wearing a badge didn't hire on to play nursemaid to society. They hired on to fight crime and help the innocent. And it allows them to rubberneck in the front row of trauma and drama.

Yeppers... pizza delivery companies have learned the best way to get business is to be prompt and courteous and offer good merchandise at a fair price. Oops. We're not looking to increase our customer base. We're hoping to eliminate it as a final goal.

But there are components we in the law enforcement forum might want to consider for good public relations. Like prompt and courteous service. The good merchandise being professional acting Officers, CSO's, Cadets and Dispatchers. The fair price they pay is their taxes the citizenry already pay. Let's give them good bang for their bucks.

Are You Kidding Me?

2009-01-03T08:06:00.000-08:00

Was going to write about a very funny recent incident when I found an e-mail advising me I won a position in the Top Ten Best Police Blogs. As I read many of the blogs listed, I felt humbled. But, well, not at first. At first I raised a fist in the air, pulling it down quick to my side with a sharp, "Yes!". As that drew a little attention to me, I just smiled and thought about all those others listed as winners.

Wow. Are you kidding me?

Check it out::

http://thebestpoliceblogs.blogspot.com/

Dispatchers Becoming Officers

2008-12-29T08:06:00.000-08:00

As I have been around in the dispatching world for more than a couple decades (for those of you who don't do math, that's more than 20 years), I have seen several Dispatchers demote themselves to officers for the better pay and less stressful work life. What I have found is that usually they are really great to work with because they understand the intricacies of our job better than an officer who sat for a couple hours during his orientation and/or training.

But there is always that one exception. And the exception is an officer that should never have even been hired on as a dispatcher. Talk about too much 'tude and has the mentality of Cliff from Cheers.

This person started their illustrious career with the City by attending the fire academy but couldn't get hired on by the fire department (have heard the rumors why but since I can't substantiate won't list them here). Then applied as a Dispatcher but from day one talked about all their knowledge about the fire department. At the time we dispatched fire and police so naturally the person knew more about how dispatching fire calls should go and everything that was happening and felt the need to share all that information. Constantly.

When this person got accepted into the police academy many of us started groaning. The person worked part time in dispatch so they could keep paying their bills while attending the academy. But was always cranky and full of lectures of how calls should be handled, by Dispatch and officers.

When the person actually got hired as an officer the groans in Dispatch got very loud. Several of then approximately 70 dispatchers said they would not be working the radio channel when that person was working patrol. And this morning was the example of why their former fellow dispatchers felt this way.

Was telling the radio dispatcher (me) what the complaint taker dispatcher should be asking the reporting party who said someone was trying to break into their house, wanting descriptions of the suspects and then got rude (dripping with a big 'tude) when told the reporting party was whispering because they were frightened and didn't want to look out the window or even leave their bedroom until they knew a police officer was on scene. "Then how does the RP know someone is trying to get in?" Excuse me? How I wish I could reach through the radio to hit the specific officer up against the side of the head.

So attention to you Dispatchers thinking of increasing your paycheck by swearing in as an officer. Remember your former co-workers do know what to ask and how and isn't trying to keep any information from you. Surely, you remember just how busy it gets and how difficult it is at times to get information from reporting parties. So drop the 'tude and let's get on with our business.

Domestic Violence

2008-12-27T10:16:00.000-08:00

This is a personal hot button for me. My mother was a victim. I was a victim of child abuse.

Almost daily we get calls from women, and occasionally men (more and more) about valid complaints of domestic violence, ranging from pushing to assault with a weapon.

Very recently took a call from a grown son calling for Mom. Mom couldn't call us because Dad ripped the phone out of the wall, making it impossible for Mom to call for help. Mom uses a walker to get around due to physical damage done to her body from multiple beatings and abuse over the years by Dad.

I'm not going to go over the whole psychological issue of why women stay in such an abusive relationship. My mother did. This Mom continues to.

But what angers me is the lack of prosecution done to this "man" (and I hate to use this word for such an adlebrained/dimwitted member of the homosapian animal race) by our County District Attorney. And not just one DA either. According to premise history, this man has been arrested numerous times for domestic violence. Through at least three different DA terms.

In our state a victim (not all DV vics are women) does not have to "file a complaint" like they did during my mother's era. If an Officer sees physical evidence of assault, the suspect is arrested. The suspect can be prosecuted without the victim ever having to testify. When this law was created a lot of law enforcement and victim advocates danced happily in the streets.

But for some reason our County DA has a problem following through on prosecuting domestic violence suspects. A quick online search of the County Criminal Courts shows a very high percentage seem to be pled down. This "man" that created this angry blog entry has been arrested numerous times but seems to spend a little county jail time and goes home to repeat the cycle.

I wonder how many domestic violence convicted persons are actually in our prison system. Because this "man" should be one of those enjoying the rent free/first run movie viewing/better medical and dental coverage than I got/free gym equipment access residence provided by our state and my tax dollars. But for some reason our County DA's just let him go home again and again with a slap on his hand.

Criminal vs Civil

2008-12-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

After enjoying a day with my family to celebrate a little holiday cheer, I return to work and deal with a very angry member of the community I work for, one of my first phone calls for the day. And spend a great amount of time trying to explain the difference between a criminal call for service (which we would handle) and a civil incident/case (in which we would not respond). And listened to her mouthing off and start "kitchen sinking" list of complaints about the agency I work for.

On television and in movies, you never see an Officer or Dispatcher refuse to answer a citizens request for police presence. An officer responds and settles the issue and writes up the report. Yeah, right.

Hello to all those script writers out there! Learn the facts and write accordingly! Take the opportunity to educate the general public who believe everything they see on television and in the movies as fact.

Law enforcement agencies, like the local police departments and sheriff departments, as a rule, respond to requests of the criminal nature. Granted, many sheriff departments have a civil division to help with service of warrants and restraining orders, but the rule of thumb is, if you have a complaint of the civil nature, don't call the police. They're crime fighters. Civil servants that don't handle civil complaints. (Now that's an oxymoron-ish).

Petition for Banishment

2008-12-22T07:37:00.001-08:00

I have decided to start a petition to banish all Cricket cell phones. Am tired of people calling 9-1-1 or even calling in on non-emergency phone line and trying to understand what the reporting party is asking for or needing over the crackle/static/wavering cellular line.

I have been told part of the problem is based on their cellular wavelength. Part of the problem is the lack of Cricket designated cell towers. Part of the problem is the programing. Part of the problem is the cell phone design. Big part of the problem is a combination of all this plus more.

As soon as I answer a phone call I can tell immediately if the person is calling on a Cricket cell phone without even having to look at the phone receiving screen. I hope it isn't an emergency because I know it will be a difficult call for service trying to ascertain the necessary information over a bad connection, even when the connection is at its strongest.

What is it going to take to get Cricket to make the necessary changes in their cellular programing or towers or cell phone design to help alleviate this problem? Maybe for some people the great prices are enough of an incentive to deal with the snap, crackle and pop while talking on their cell phones. But, let's hope they don't have to call for help because on the emergency services side, it is a safety issue in my mind.

Who wants to sign my petition?

Directionless

2008-12-18T02:34:00.000-08:00

And yet, another pet peeve to whine about. Those people who don't know their north/south/east/west.

The community I work in is almost 95% set right on the proper axis. The downtown, oldest part of the community is parallel to the railroad tracks, so they are set on a NW axis. But that is only a small part of the whole 500,000 populated area.

Even when you give points of interest or well known outlying communities for reference, it is amazing to me how many people still don't know their location. People are following suspects and they don't even know the direction they are traveling behind that really crazy or drunk driver, but they want you there before the person kills someone. Or a stranger just jumped into their backyard and can't tell the police from which direction they came from or running towards, but they want you to catch the person right away.

It's really simple people to learn the directions of axis in your community. Doesn't take much more than looking at a map. Learn it folks. If not for any other reason than for your own and family safety.

You're Kidding Me, Right?

2008-12-16T04:53:00.000-08:00

Once again, in an attempt to track down an owner of a vehicle the address belongs to the adult child who no longer lives at that address. And once again the parent doesn't know his child's phone number or address. But at least this time the parent had it written down somewhere. So many times the parent doesn't even have that information.

One excuse for parents to not know the basic contact information for their adult children is they move around a lot. But yet, all these adult children have cell phones. So their phone number isn't changing as regular as their physical address.

I am the parent of adult children. Cell phone numbers are easy to remember. And it is easy enough to write down or key in the ever changing address in my own cell phone or store in wallet.

Get a clue folks. Even if your child does not live with you, be aware of where they live and how to get in contact with them. Who knows, your local law enforcement agency might need to make contact with them for an emergency. Or your family might have a life or death emergency and you need to contact them quickly and easily.

Spit It Out

2008-12-15T00:46:00.000-08:00

Come on folks. You call 9-1-1 or a non-emergency phone number. You know what you want or think you're going to get. But, yet, you go, "ah, ah, ah, and ah, (long silence)". Not just at the beginning but several times during your phone call.

Spit it out. Hopefully you're not calling for help without any idea of what you're calling help for. Yes, we get those people who talk too much. But they don't drive me as nuts as those callers who can't seem to spit out what they are calling about.

And we're not talking about speech deficiencies here. It's different, too, when English is a second language. I am talking about those people where English is their only language and they still can't seem to speak it.

aaahhh.... so much of my time is wasted on these people. Like pulling teeth from a chicken. Oh yeah, chicken don't have teeth. But these callers do. And a tongue. And some type of working grey matter. Right???

Whew. I feel much better for that tantrum. I can see why kids like doing this.

Super Power Hearing

2008-12-13T04:15:00.000-08:00

If you dispatch for any length of time, you develop a very special super power. Your hearing and ability to "read into" the verbal messages and speech is a very superior skill that builds over experience and time. Since we don't have the opportunity to read the other person's body language like an officer responding to an event, we "hear" differently.

Recently took a 9-1-1 hang up. When I called back to confirm everything was okay, following policy of having the person on the other side of the call confirm address and telephone number, got a male on the phone who was sniffing and muttering child made a mistake (but child was already gone when asked about the child) and he didn't know the address and phone number.

His demeanor, his avoidance, his repetitiveness of "it's a mistake" set off an internal alarm that was forged over years of experience. It told me that something was off center and needed attention. So a call for service was created and officers were sent. Sent a note to the officers that something sounded hinky and they were like, "okay, we'll check it out."

Well, lo and behold, what did officers find? A domestic violence situation with the suspect male trying to hide from officers. After all, he was in violation of a restraining order and on probation. So this visit by officers meant a pair of silver bracelets were gifted to his wrists and a drive down to the county jail for booking with a future return to the state funded country club to finish his original sentence due to, , domestic violence and assault.

The officers were very good about not shrugging off my gut reaction to the call. They took me serious and it paid off. Now, the only problem is, how does a dispatcher explain this super power and ability in an articulate and accurate manner in an easy to understand format for court?

Pet Peeve

2008-12-12T06:42:00.000-08:00

Just want to sound off on a pet peeve against officers. (Like that doesn't happen regularly in this blog.) Listen up coppers: Don't try to dispatch from your vehicles!

Am so tired of an officer deciding what calls he wants to respond to or changing what units are responding to calls after I have dispatched them. Get a clue copper - it's not your job! It's mine. And if you doubt that, then look at our job descriptions.

Not only that, but you are too focused on what you want and don't want. I am looking at the whole picture. I see what needs to be handled. I am aware of priorities and how it works. I have an event monitor that tells me which units are closer than others, you don't. I know what officers are available and where they are located within the city.

So, you don't want to take the paper call. Would rather respond as a backup on a burglar alarm. Reality is, copper, I am in charge. You will respond where I say. Because the citizens has been waiting two hours to file that paper call you don't want and you wanting to fill on the burglar alarm so you can visit with your buddy when another officer is actually closer is just not going to happen.

And don't cop (no pun intended) an attitude when you are told "no" on the air. Hopefully the sergeant has been paying attention and backs me up. Or you try the sneaky thing by sending me messages over the computer telling me what you want to do. And then pretend you don't get my written reply of "no". Especially when you know it's a sergeant who understands, since you don't, that dispatchers tell officers where to go, not officers deciding where they go.

And just so you know, dear reader, this is the cleaned up version and third rewrite. My first draft was a very angry written discourse after almost two back to back episodes of this problem with the same officer. After checking for typos I realized that it was maybe just a bit (just a tiny bit) too harsh and point blank in my anger. So a bit of rewrite was called for. But then it sounded a bit namby pamby. So another rewrite and here it is.

And I wish I could feel better for writing it down. But I am smart enough to realize that the persons who need to read it won't be and probably wouldn't see themselves in it anyways. After all, they are the officers and they know more than any mere dispatcher.

Pot - Marijuana

2008-12-05T09:01:00.001-08:00

Am so tired of hearing about pot/marijuana. Whether it is complaint callers about smelling their neighbors use (through house walls and over the fence if you will) to articles in the newspaper about the growing number of permits issued for medical marijuana growth and sales to television news about the latest field found on Federal land or movie stars who point out its side effects and habit creating essence isn't any different than alcohol.

In a nutshell folks: Unless you have a prescription to smoke it or a permit to grow it and sell it for medical purposes, it is illegal.

No discussion on medical benefits. No discussion on its addictive properties. No discussion on the loss of taxable income if legal product.

Simple folks. You believe it should be a legal product, like alcohol and cigarettes and other over the counter products, get yourself into a position to change the law. Don't sit in your chair or hammock whining. Clean yourself up, gain a vocabulary, and do what you got to do to change the law. It has been done in the past.

Just quit whining and writing and broadcasting about this subject ad nauseum.

How Do You Spell Smith?

2008-12-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Apparently the public think because we are civil service we are uneducated and unable to spell basic names and words. Am so tired of people feeling the need to spell out, slowly cause I clearly am stupid, simple or common names. Now I could understand if the name is differently spelled or not a commonly used name, but really folks. Was it necessary for the person to spell out Smith?

Anyone who has taken a civil service entrance exam knows only basic reading and writing skills are necessary. Anyone who has ever taken the civil service entrance exam knows it tests more than the basics. Anyone who has ever had to grade the civil service entrance exam knows there are a lot of people with high school diplomas who don't know how to punctuate or spell correctly or use grammar correctly. Rudiment English won't cut the mustard for many civil service entrance exams that entail public contact.

Having worked in a legal office in the past, it is true that those of socially elevated employment (even the legal secretaries and paralegals) believe civil servants are not the brightest of bulbs, thus they work at jobs that would better fit the uneducated (but not quite the unwashed) that would be beneath them of elevated employment status. Apparently people forget a lot of attorneys and psychologists and social workers (those from the socially elevated employment ranks) started their professional careers as patrol officers, dispatchers, etc.

I have two Associate Degrees. Only a few units shy of my first Bachelor's Degree. By the time I finish my desired courses I will have three Bachelor's Degrees. Soooo... at least I can say I'm not a dumb duck. Just like the challenge that civil service provides. Hmmm... maybe I'm crazy. Yeah, that's got to be it. I wonder if I can get anyone to certify me so I can take a nice long vacation?

Ambitions

2008-11-28T04:12:00.000-08:00

I like to read my husband's police magazines at times. Between books when visiting the throne room. Usually that's all they're good for as they repeatedly ignore a very important component of officer safety, US - THE DISPATCHERS. Sorry. My personal feelings of resentment took over for a moment.

There is an interesting column written I found in the back of one of those magazines (that over look the importance of US - The Dispatchers)(whoa, guess I am not holding on as tight to my emotions as I thought) that gave me a little pause for contemplation.

It is an article of retrospect of how upon graduating from the academy he began preparing for his sergeant's exam at least three years away, keeping his eye on the next rank and moving forward. He would become a lieutenant before retirement. The crux of his article though was, in a nutshell, "some of the most important things I have done in life were not as a lieutenant, but as an officer, a father, a husband, or a friend."

That's all very nice for an officer to contemplate or live or work towards, but there isn't anything like that in Dispatch. The best we can hope for is to become, first, a trainer (a whole 5% pay raise for all the extra paper work and responsibility) and maybe, just maybe, become a supervisor (where another 15% pay raise helps offset the new headaches coming your way.) But these two steps still keep us in the same windowless padded walls basement overcrowded room.

Records Clerks on average make less money than Dispatch. But they can promote to Division Secretaries and Area Clerks, working among detectives and out of area/substation offices. Also, on average, there are more Records Supervisors than Dispatch Supervisors, so more opportunities to promote within Records themselves. With the new assignment comes a pay raise, but gives them the opportunity to meet and greet and tackle a new challenge and learn a new skill.

Yes, there are very few jobs that will give a person a more thrilling and scary ride or more unique problem solving opportunity than law enforcement and fire dispatching. The very job is wrought with challenges and a constantly moving topography of rules and laws and needs.

But I guess my point is, that's all we get. Year after year. Some departments do allow their dispatchers to take specialized training, like disaster management or hostage crisis or swat call out dispatching. But many times the dispatcher has to take the initiative and pay for it themselves, because they care about their jobs enough to go the extra mile. And still many times the department overlooks these new learned skills to write manuals on how they want things done, when training and experience from the point of a dispatcher is totally ignored. And the good dispatcher moves and flows with the demands asked of their superior officers and incorporates their knowledge within the perimeters set by the uneducated to the point the senior officer believes it was always written and understand to work that way.

It would be nice if police magazines at least carried a column written by a dispatcher over the concerns and jobs and abilities of a dispatcher. Maybe focus ever so often on a dispatcher that truly goes up and over and out of their way to make their job better and safer.

It would be nice and very smart for agencies to be as concerned for additional training for their dispatchers as they are for their officers. (Yes, I know, part of the reason agencies send officers to training is because they get reimbursed by POST or other such state governing agency.)

And it would be truly wise for dispatch supervisors and agencies to look for ways to keep their dispatchers in touch within their agency through occasional temporary postings or assignments that gives the dispatcher the opportunity to be a more recognized proactive member of the agency to keep their assigned populace safe and secure. And to help levitate a little of the constant barrage of negativity usually sent the direction of those hardworking diligent and dedicated communications center employees. US DISPATCHERS. (ahem)

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T06:45:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving. Today is a Holiday, which means paid time off work, for most people. A time to overindulge with homemade goodies and enjoy the presence of family as they gather around the table to recite what they are thankful for.

But for those of us in the public safety family, well, there is no such thing as a holiday and time off. We are in the business of 24/7/365 response.

We are on duty ready to answer the call for those who overindulge with food and make themselves sick and needing an ambulance.

We are on duty ready to answer the call for those who overindulge with alcohol and try to drive or fight with their family members and need police presence to put things back in order.

We are on duty ready to answer the call for those who light their fireplaces and candles which end up burning their house down requiring fire department presence to try to rescue what and who they can.

Yes, we are on duty. Ready and able to be there to take care of the problem of the day. For some of the public we serve, they will not see us today. They will not be aware of our presence and preparedness. But, sadly, there will be a need for our skills as there will be that car accident or fire or fight or robbery or burglary or something that will require our ability to respond to disasters with speed and knowledge.

So world, be Thankful we are here. Be Thankful that we have the training to assist. Be Thankful we are here to help.

And especially be Thankful if you don't have to use our abilities today.

Weighty Issues

2008-11-22T04:10:00.000-08:00

Recently read an article written by an officer who complained about the weight of most Dispatchers. That their poor eating habits and lack of exercise makes them overweight. He finds it disgusting. After all, the officers exercise on their breaks.

Hmmm.... clearly this officer does not know the reality of an average and commonly found dispatch center. Let's see if I can explain it in simple enough terms even an officer can understand. Not that it is an excuse, but just trying to educate the insensitive-overabundance of free time available-badge carrying officer. (I originally typed in 'knuckle dragging' but thought it would be a little hardhearted, even if fairly accurate.)

Many agencies have a form of wellness program to encourage officers to keep healthy and trim with incentive programs like extra pay for weight loss and/or extra vacation time for attending seminars on health issues and/or easy and free access to gym equipment and the time to make use of the conditioning toys. Their mindset being that officers are what the general public see, thus they want a good image representing the agency and government that runs them.

Reality is, Dispatchers are locked in rooms (supposedly for their safety-another future blog moment) listening for hour on hour of peoples woes, typing reports, assisting officers (and listening to their moans of woes) where freedom of movement is usually greatly limited by umbilical cords known as headsets plugged into phone and radio stations and the size of the dispatch center. Many don't have work stations that are adjustable so they can stand at least part of their work day so they can get off their widening sitting ends from chairs not meant for 24/7 butts. The second agency I worked for had such a small dispatch room I could literally touch the dispatch board and the public access window but stretching out my arms.

Some law enforcement agencies do not make the department gym available to their non-sworn personnel. Dispatchers in some agencies have to eat their meal breaks at their stations due to lack of relief (which means an officer willing to raise himself up to the task of helping) available. Which usually means a microwave may not be handy to warm up healthy leftovers or frozen meal. So it is easier to order in food, usually not the most healthiest. And why do you think couch potatoes have such full figures? Because it is something innate in the human biology that we snack when sitting on our cabooses for any length of time, Dispatchers listen to their inner voice (separate from the voices they hear in their heads) saying "eat - snack" when sitting for eight to sixteen hours at a time.

To the officer who wrote the slamming-uneducated-ignorant showing article about Dispatch and their weighty girths, try to spend a little time in learning the realities of a job before speaking with so many words of so little you know so as not to show the world your lack of knowledge and empathy. And hope one of your Dispatchers don't read your tired words and take offense and prove to you that the power is in the mind and the Dispatch Center by making you actually work and respond to paper call to paper call without being able to take a thirty minute meal break and the workout time you get on your work day.

Racial Profiling

2008-11-16T04:29:00.000-08:00

Wikipedia Encyclopedia says racial profiling is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act. Civil rights advocates are against the use of racial profiling tactics by the police.

Conversely, it is argued that including race as one of the several factors in suspect profiling is generally supported by the law enforcement community. It is claimed that profiling based on any characteristic is a time-tested and universal police tool, and that excluding race as a factor is insensible.

Okay. Sooo... let's see if I get this right. Racial profiling done by police as a tool to assist with preventing and solving crimes, preventing damage done to property and people is not permitted. A big no-no.

But..... Yet..... a private citizen can call in the appearance of a person of a different race (the first words out of their mouth) in their neighborhood that does not have a person of that race, requesting immediate police presence to find out what trouble they are preparing to make, a crime they are clearly getting ready to commit, based solely on their appearance, not by their current actions.

Or how about that caller that likes to describe the guy in the robes with a beard that is hanging around a certain location that shouldn't have someone like that near.

Or about the older caller describing the kid who is clearly a gangbanger (and when did that term stop being a sexual assault term and become a description of a wannabe laughable gangsta) cause of his attire and self mutilation (expanding earrings/lobes and multiple piercings) and probably ready to hurt someone.

Apparently the term "racial profiling" is ONLY applied to its use by law enforcement. It is NOT applied to the use by private citizens.

Talk about DISCRIMINATION. DOUBLE STANDARDS.

Oh yeah. We wear the color of the badge. We're not able to or suppose to use the same descriptors utilized by the citizens we serve and protect. We're accountable to a different standard. A higher standard. A color/ethnic/descriptor/sex/religion blindness standard.

Padded Walls

2008-11-14T05:45:00.000-08:00

As earlier promised, a discussion of the padded walls in our dispatch center.

We work in a windowless basement room. Correction, not totally windowless. What windows we have lead into the mainframe room or the supervisors office. A couple years ago we got a remodeling. Basically, the construction entailed of taking down the old padded walls (that was suspected by we dispatchers to have mold but was never confirmed by the city) and hanging up new padded walls. And adding more complaint taking and radio dispatching equipment to our already full room.

But they are not called padded walls. They are called noise absorbent paneling. In a pretty grey and white concrete pattern so we dispatchers don't start thinking of the padded walls as a viable source to pound our heads against.

Noise absorbent paneling or padded walls. The affect is the same. We spend 10-15 hours a day in a room that is just short of being sterile by the addition of framed color photographs of beautiful landscapes. So not all color is letched from our lives.

Back from Vacation

2008-11-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

Yes, I really took some time off. Well, did so because I had been organizing a two day meeting and wanted the days leading up to it free so I could handle last minute requests. And ended up sick the whole time! Talk about unfair. What is this world coming to? How dare I get sick and then go on vacation? Clearly working in a windowless basement room with up to twenty other people can't be a cause for this medical problem. Clearly I was infected by the occasional exposure to the general public when making a grocery stop or shopping errand.

But I did get to look out a window and see the rain fall and the wind blow as leaves piled up into the pool. Thank goodness the pool upkeep is my husband's responsibility. It was nice to see the reminder of the visual bright and colorful world versus the not so bright intellectual and colorful languaged folks we deal with daily in our jobs.

Back to the grey padded walls (yes, they really do have a small padding on them, supposedly for noise containment - but that's a whole nother posting) with several framed color landscape photographs to remind us dispatchers that there is a world outside.

Say What?

2008-11-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

I know I have said it before, in law enforcement there is a completely different vocabulary and verbiage. But a caller I had earlier clearly has not learned even basic vocabulary.

"I want to double check what a dispatcher told me earlier. She says I need to hire a lawyer and an attorney for my problem?"

Excuse me?

Are there not exit exams in high school that would catch such a lack of basic knowledge? Even if he quit school, does he not watch too much television like lots of people?

One doesn't have to be a student of etymology to know lawyer and attorney are the same thing.

A lack of vocabulary, even basic vocabulary, of more than 3 syllables, seems to be lost of many people today. My grandfather, who never finished school, was one of the most intelligent and articulate men I knew. He always commented that those people who used four-letter words to express themselves were just showing their lack of education and intelligence.

I am not asking that all and sundry be eloquent ad nauseam. But please people, be able to speak and understand basic vocabulary and their definitions beyond 2 or 3 syllable words of four to six letters.

Dispatchers are Human

2008-10-28T15:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, dear reader. A dispatcher is human. The person answering that 9-1-1 call or working the police channel is human. Susceptible to all the frailties of being a member of the two-legged, oxygen breathing, mammal race has to entail.

For hour after hour we hear the overwhelming emotions on the phone, call after call. Listening to yelling, scared, hurting, confused, angry and upset people. After all, why would people call 9-1-1, or even the non-emergency phone number, if they didn't have a problem that they figure the police can or should handle.

Or sit at the radio for hours on end assisting officers who want or need information quickly. But not just two or three officers, but at times as many as fifty plus officers who need to be dispatched to an event that is pending, or disposition that needs to be taken, or wants and warrents ran, or premise history researched, or traffic stop logged, etc... all at the same time. Officers get snippy when information isn't returned to them in what they consider an expeditious manner, not paying attention to the fact that several other officers are also needing assist/information/dispatch/etc. from that same dispatcher.

Which means, the dispatcher has to deal with their emotions in a manner that, hopefully, isn't affecting their level of service.

We have to work at not snipping back at the officer who wants to know why we haven't given him a complete wants and warrants and probation history asked on five different people just after another officer asked for contact background on a suspect of a domestic violence in progress call he is enroute to, while detectives are asking for a wagon to transport their prisoner since they are driving unmarked vehicles and thus don't have cages in their units.

Or try not to get too exasperated at a caller who is calling in, for the fourth time that month, about their out of control teenager that is mouthing off, again. Or the caller who calls 9-1-1 because they find their car has been broken into and doesn't understand why it isn't an emergency.

This job exposes us to other people at their most raw emotional state of life. We hear women being beat by their "loved one"; children crying in the background while a neighbor calls in that the parents are "disciplining" their kids again; or a father crying because he is trapped in his vehicle after an accident and his baby isn't crying; or listening to shots over the air while an officer is requesting back up as he is under fire.

Because dispatchers are human, we have to deal with the feelings, the mental and physiological reactions, that this constant barrage subjects us to. Hour after hour, day after day, year after year.

So, dear reader, if you are a police officer, please be patient when waiting for your information, for a good dispatcher will be your best backup. The information is coming.

If, dear reader, you are a private citizen, please excuse my tone of voice if it is a little sharp. Possibly the call that came in before yours was upsetting, but because of my job, I can't get up and walk away for awhile. I have to answer the next phone call.

And, if dear reader, you are another dispatcher, you are not alone.

Cop Language

2008-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you work law enforcement you know that we speak another language. There is 10 code and 11 code and 9 code and vehicle code and penal code and health & welfare code and and and. You get the picture. But we also deal with abbreviations big time. Got to put a lot of information out there as quickly as possible in the most compact manner. Thus, codes and abbreviations are used. Only those of us "in the business" are going to understand.

459 busn IP... 3 WM susps LB e/b from loc, all wrg blk tshirts

or

Welf Ck HM down, poss 11-44

or

Poss DK driver w/b blu Chev p/u, partial lic 5NUV

or

Armed 211 just occd... 1 WF susp, blonde hair, 507, wrg yell dress... no one injd

You get the idea. What I do find frustrating is because I type in this language 10-15 hours a day, 4-6 days a week, when I have to type and write properly, similar to what I am doing now, I find myself typing in abbreviations. Have to go back and spell out a word. When I started this job I was typing 120+ wpm. Recently had a reason to retest my typing speed and it has slowed down to 89wpm. Because I had fallen out of the practice of typing complete words and sentences.

This job gets you in soooo many ways.

Calling 9-1-1

2008-10-25T05:35:00.000-07:00

Okay people. Let's talk about calling 9-1-1.

This number is for life and death emergencies and crimes in progress only! Not to call to ask for a non emergency phone number because you're too lazy to call 4-1-1 for the information or look it up in the telephone book. Or to say you woke up to find your car stolen or broken into.

I have the opportunity regularly to speak in front of groups about proper 9-1-1 use. And I tell them these four things to remember. So listen up readers.

1. In ten words or less tell the dispatcher what is happening.
For example: I think I need an ambulance.
Was in a car accident.
See a house on fire.

2. Where is this happening?
Know your home address. Keep track of your location as you travel.

3. Shut Up!
There's no nice way to say this. But as a dispatcher I have a list of questions I need to ask you. You may have things you want to tell me, but they probably are not the items I need to know right away. There will be opportunity to tell me later or tell the officer. But Shut Up for right now and let me ask the questions for the information I need to know.

4. Breath!
Your adrenaline is madly pumping. You're excited and anxious and scared. That means your mind is not working like I need it to so I can help you. So take a deep breath. And another. Focus on my voice and let me try to help you.

These may seem like -duh- to you, but these are daily issues for any public safety dispatcher out there.