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?
Showing posts with label assault. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assault. Show all posts
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Super Power Hearing
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?
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,
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?
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