Odd subject on my mind today.
I am a crafter. Give me needle and thread and fabric and I am entertained for hours.
At my last agency, even though we were very large and very very busy, many of us sat at our telephone consoles (not while we were on radio) and worked on various crafts, short of using a sewing machine for a couple.
It was an accepted method for stress relief.
But at my current small agency.... well.... not so much.
On the graveyard shift you can go a whole hour (have even gone two) without a single radio transmission or phone call. On a Sunday it is the same pace. And yet....
Reading a book, okay.
Working on personal business, seems okay.
But pull out some fabric and thread and it is armageddon.
I understand during business hours, or even if the brass is in the station, that the activity would be considered a no-no. BUT.....
I know a certain senior officer who has told me they consider the activity an insult and would like to craft policy against the activity in dispatch, but as I am the only crafter, it would clearly be directed at me and thus open up the possibility of, well, more **it than worth the issue. At this time.
My former agency only had the policy of no crafting of any sort while working radio. They also had issues with reading of any kind except the policy manual. But off radio, as long as you weren't stinking up the place or making too much noise, all was acceptable.
How does your agency handle this stress relieving, soul feeding, extracurricular activity?
Showing posts with label dispatch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dispatch. Show all posts
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Chairs for Dispatch
In Dispatch where almost every chair is being used 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, it becomes problematic when the chair starts to fall apart, cushions go flat, they get dirty and quite often pick up a bad smell.
Many of us have been known to bring in cleaning supplies from home to keep the smell away and hopefully make them look a bit better. In my current department we have someone very handy with tools who can do minor repairs.
As our Dispatch Center is in need of new chairs (they are flat, no longer able to clean up well, but at least they are still rolling along), I decided to take it upon myself to do a little research on chairs and their costs.
HOLY SHIT! Have a better understanding why the brass doesn't like buying chairs for Dispatch and will do anything to keep them moving.
I was looking for a chair that was ergonomic, adjustable in height and tilt and arms, with really good padding. In other words, 24 hour butt chairs that could accommodate all the different sizes of the dispatchers.
Many of the suppliers call 24 hour butt chairs 24/7 Heavy Duty chairs. But the meaning is the same.
One crazy thing my now retired police officer hubby and I have been known to do is visit other LE agencies when traveling. I love spending time in dispatch and trying to pick up new tricks to make the job easier and smarter. And I always look at their chairs because almost every agency I have worked for tries to save money in the chairs and we Dispatchers pay the price.
The chair that I have seen in action and would love to get for our Dispatch Center costs over $800! There are chairs advertised as Call Center Chairs and they start at almost $400 a chair. I recognize one of them in our center.
One chair found so far admits the all steel frame has a six year written warranty. Another chair, similar to what we use right now, has a ten year warranty. Our current chairs are at least seven years old. Not quite making the ten years promised.
Okay, new respect for the budget on chairs. But as we "live" in these chairs 9-15 hours at a time, it would be great if a little more attention was spent in the quality and durability of the chairs utilized in Dispatch. I've heard how much the chairs for our Lt's cost and they don't live in their chairs the hours we do.
Are quality chairs only for the brass?
What chairs does your agency use?
Are they quality and durable?
Many of us have been known to bring in cleaning supplies from home to keep the smell away and hopefully make them look a bit better. In my current department we have someone very handy with tools who can do minor repairs.
As our Dispatch Center is in need of new chairs (they are flat, no longer able to clean up well, but at least they are still rolling along), I decided to take it upon myself to do a little research on chairs and their costs.
HOLY SHIT! Have a better understanding why the brass doesn't like buying chairs for Dispatch and will do anything to keep them moving.
I was looking for a chair that was ergonomic, adjustable in height and tilt and arms, with really good padding. In other words, 24 hour butt chairs that could accommodate all the different sizes of the dispatchers.
Many of the suppliers call 24 hour butt chairs 24/7 Heavy Duty chairs. But the meaning is the same.
One crazy thing my now retired police officer hubby and I have been known to do is visit other LE agencies when traveling. I love spending time in dispatch and trying to pick up new tricks to make the job easier and smarter. And I always look at their chairs because almost every agency I have worked for tries to save money in the chairs and we Dispatchers pay the price.
The chair that I have seen in action and would love to get for our Dispatch Center costs over $800! There are chairs advertised as Call Center Chairs and they start at almost $400 a chair. I recognize one of them in our center.
One chair found so far admits the all steel frame has a six year written warranty. Another chair, similar to what we use right now, has a ten year warranty. Our current chairs are at least seven years old. Not quite making the ten years promised.
Okay, new respect for the budget on chairs. But as we "live" in these chairs 9-15 hours at a time, it would be great if a little more attention was spent in the quality and durability of the chairs utilized in Dispatch. I've heard how much the chairs for our Lt's cost and they don't live in their chairs the hours we do.
Are quality chairs only for the brass?
What chairs does your agency use?
Are they quality and durable?
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
This Is A Joke, Right?
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?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Work Negativity
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.
Above information was obtained from web address: http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/negativitycause.htm
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
Monday, December 15, 2008
Spit It Out
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.
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.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Pet Peeve
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.
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.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Racial Profiling
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.
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.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Padded Walls
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.
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.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Back from Vacation
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.
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.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Say What?
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.
"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.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Dispatchers are Human
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.
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.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Cop Language
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.
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.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Calling 9-1-1
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)