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The Police Dispatcherby Officer Richard Hannibal
The dispatcher is the unsung hero in any police department. He or she sits in a lonely, dimly lit room, surrounded by video monitors, flashing lights, and ringing telephones. However, make no mistake; the dispatcher is the hub of the police agency. The dispatcher is expected to listen to angry voices, "Where are the damn cops, I reported my trash can stolen over an hour ago." The dispatcher listens to excited voices, "There's been a bad accident and one of the cars is on fire with people inside!" The dispatcher listens to confused voices, "I want to quit drugs, but I don't know what to do." And yes, the dispatcher listens to pleading voices, "Oh please hurry, he's not breathing." The dispatcher hears radio voices; "I'm in pursuit," "roll me a backup," and, on occasion, the voice of an officer screaming, "Shots fired!" The dispatcher also prepares mentally for, but is never totally ready for, "Officer down, roll an ambulance." Through it all the dispatcher is expected to solve the problem, calm the caller with a soothing, assertive voice, and push, pull, and activate all the right lighted switches and buttons. The dispatcher is the officer's life line; as important as a belay line to a mountain climber. In Morro Bay the dispatcher has the additional responsibilities of greeting people at the front counter, maintaining police records, and making sure the multitude of documents, letters, and forms are all routed to the right place. There is a lot said about police officers. More needs to be said about the angels who protect and guide them on their way. |
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