"..You go, we go..."

Telecommunicators and Police Officers

by Renee B. Meador
CISM Team Leader
Western Va CISM Team
Roanoke, Va.

Let me tell you a story:

There once was a call, placed by a very excited waitress. She stated that
there was a man in a car, in the parking lot, holding a gun to a woman's head.
When officers arrived, they did in fact find a man in a car, accompanied by
two women, and he was holding a gun to one of the females heads.
In a very short period of time, the primary officer's dialog with this
suspect produced one female being released. After some more negotiation, the
second female was released, but the suspect remained in the car with the gun.
The setting was a hostage negotiator's nightmare.... a primary roadway at
one of the only all nite diners in the city. This restaurant sits back off of
the road, with the parking lot between the front of the building and the
street. ( Which, if you are a thinking man, means the front of that restaurant
is full of windows, with the total occupancy watching what is transpiring on the parking lot thru those windows.

COPS live, watching those units secure the perimeter, sliding onto the edges
of the parking lot broadside and bailing out, guns drawn.) The roadway in
front of this restaurant feeds into a major trucking artery a block away, and
THAT artery feeds Interstate one block further. So stopping traffic to secure
lines of fire is impossible.

There are officers everywhere, and the dispatcher keeps feeding more into the
area, at the scene supervisor's request. Before long, the entire shift is
there, as well as the tactical team activation.

The suspect, having been involved in a domestic altercation with one of the
released females, finally exits the car, but doesn't drop his weapon. It soon
becomes evident that this will be a "suicide by cop" scenario, if the suspect
gets his way. In the hours that followed, the only radio traffic heard was
dedicated to this incident.

One officer securing the perimeter and not involved in the negotiations with
the suspect, has the presence of mind to recognize the scenario as it
develops, and to document it by radio. Every movement. With all radio traffic
on tape and time-stamped to the second, every move this suspect makes is
broadcast. "He laid the gun on the pavement...NO....he didn't release it, he's
standing back up with weapon in hand". "Suspect is walking northbound in the
middle of the street, he's gone approx. 20 yards from the NE corner of the
lot".

As a matter of record, this being a true story, the suspect walked a block
from the lot, up a small incline to a business that was constructed of
cinderblock, and turned to face the officers, with the cinderblock wall to his
back. He then raised his weapon and attempted to level it at the field LT. and
incident scene commander.

He got his wish. After hours of negotiation, it was over.
During this entire critical incident, the dispatcher controlling the radio
went through a wide range of emotions that Administrators nationwide are just
now coming to realize. The high adrenaline rush while setting the incident
scene, the call-outs and setting the tactical units, LISTENING with a high
concentration.... mentally checking off officers as the "documentation"
officer kept the radio dialog going.

That "checking off" process was critical...not only for the documentation of
suspect movement... but that dispatcher was mentally checking off units as the
officer was identifying movements.... that officer is safe for now, and
another, and another. A small comfort zone, but a comfort zone nonetheless.
When the cry came " shots fired! ", the level of frustration and concern rose
again, waiting...always waiting to hear.

This dispatcher was included in the debriefings that followed for the
"suicide by cop" critical incident. Field officers with the old perception of
"just a dispatcher" realized that there was more involved in the emotions and
responses of dispatchers than they thought. In this case, they were surprised
to hear that this dispatcher suffered as much as they did, that the fear and
anger that was directed at the suspect for forcing her officers to take his
life was very real and all-consuming. "Her officers". They found out that
this dispatcher made several unorthodox moves while doing her best to care for
her officers lives... she had made repeated calls to the restaurant to get
management to remove all of the customers away from the front of the building
and to behind the freezer area, because it was in the line of fire. She made
it clear that no customers were to be allowed to leave the rear of the
building, for fear of them wandering into an active "shoot" zone. A "dumb
dispatcher" did this? "Her officers". Who would have thought she cared?

For years and years, Dispatchers ( the current title of the day is
Telecommunicator) were only parrots. The real truth is, no one has kept up
with a profession that started as a way to "downsize" a department's budget,
but has now come full circle and has completely jumped the original scope and
become a field of expertise all its own. In truth, Telecommunicators are one
of the most unrecognized, unappreciated, group of professionals around. The
attitudes, skills, personality characteristics, training and abilities
necessary for effective dispatching are far more complex than officers and
Administrators typically recognize.

Gone are the days of only police supervisors being the only ones allowed to
operate a Comm Center. During the pre-911 era, ranking officers were the only personnel allowed near a radio, and for good cause. These were the perfect people to develop, implement, and operate a Center due to training and
experience. Here were men who had been field trained and had administrative
skills. They knew the neighborhoods, the laws, the tactics, the protocols for
keeping the field officers safe.

In the 1960's, what's now known as "downsizing" became a real struggle. Just
like every other economic crunch, there had to be ways to get the budget down
to operating efficiency... so the trend to civilianize some personnel came to
light. It was a good plan at the time... put the field supervisors back in the
field where they were needed the most. There weren't funds to hire more
officers, so keeping key personnel inside wasn't the answer. Having to pay at
least 4 Sgt.'s salaries to man a radio and phones didn't seem like such a good
idea anymore.
This hiring of civilian "community oriented" personnel was a good move both
politically concerning budget constraints, but traditionally, it was only
after years of experience and a couple of stripes that officers with job
knowledge, skills, and abilities were entrusted with this job.
Civilian dispatchers were trained in radio and code procedures, but Admins
failed to recognize how much more dispatchers needed to know if they were to
work effectively and efficiently. Old Admins stuck to the old "need to know"
clause, while at the same time, started the very concept that permeates Comm
Centers nationwide today.... the frustration and lack of recognition that
continues to promote the feelings of "second-class citizens".

Telecommunicators are now performing a job that has come full-circle. In
the beginning, dispatchers had few tasks, and no responsibilities, no
culpability. They were, in fact, "parrots". Now, in this day and age, the
job has become a field of expertise all its own. With the inception of 9-1-1
and CAD systems and MDT's in the units, with EMD (Emergency Medical
Dispatching) becoming a mandatory skill nationwide, with Domestic Violence and Hostage Negotiation being included in basic dispatcher training, the job has
become so technical, that on-going training and certifications are every bit
as important as Basic Police Academy and In-Service schools for officers. And
with that, comes the same stress that officers suffer from. Now, civil
liability includes dispatchers when a department is sued. Telecommunicators
can now be sued for what they DON'T do as well as what they DO do. The newest trend is a complete role-reversal from the beginning when Sgt.'s were the King of the Radio. Now dispatchers are being taken from the radio rooms and placed at Incident Command in the field. Mass casualty incidents, critical incident scenes...who else knows better where and how to get the information needed by the Incident Scene Commander? These "field dispatchers" are included in everything on scene, and with PowerPhones being standard equipment, the requests for information and resources are handled immediately.

Why? For the same reason Sgt.'s were placed in the Comm Center.... these dispatchers are trained and knowledgeable and KNOW where and how to gather the resources. Full circle.

The "new age" Telecommunicator performs almost Herculean tasks. Consider
the huge volumes of information they have to absorb in such a short amount of
time. Most Comm Centers cross-train their personnel. The same dispatchers that handle police workload today, are the same ones that are performing EMD and handling fire scenes. They have to learn not ONLY police functions, but they work at least three separate Sop's at the same time. How many officers can  work with 3 agencies, within the confines of 3 separate Sop's at the same time and keep it straight? Add the dynamics of ever-changing law, policies, human nature, and Murphy, and now you have the 3rd highest stress- level profession in the country, surpased only by air-traffic controllers and police officers.

And the sad thing is... the perception is still "just a dispatcher". A
study done by Michigan State University's Dennis M. Payne, a retired
Lieutenant Colonel of the Michigan State Police indicates that dispatchers
processing police calls for service is the single most critical point in the
entire criminal justice system. His study further shows that because of the
old Admin perceptions of "need to know", dispatchers are not adequately
trained in police-related subject matter. The study also showed that
dispatchers are required to use a wide latitude of discretionary decision-
making, and many decisions revolve around citizen or officer safety,
particularly in the handling of critical incidents.

From day ONE, a dispatcher is taught "customer service excellence". "Be
polite" they teach, this may be the first time this person has ever had to
call for a police officer in their life. We want them to have a positive
experience, at least as much as can be provided under the circumstances. "You
are their first contact. Make it good." Politics. What they fail to tell
dispatchers, is that the dispatcher may very well be their last contact on
this earth.

Police officers and Admin fail to recognize one of their best resources, one
of the best front-line teams there are. And now, because of that lack of
recognition, dispatchers are falling victims to the stress just as quickly as
their officers.

The best analogy I can think of, is "second-hand smoke". We all know the
studies...second hand smoke is every bit the killer as direct contact.
Dispatchers suffer from the "second-hand smoke" trickle down syndrome. Old
Admins concept of dispatchers being in a secure, climate controlled, no
physical contact with the public, "so what's your problem?" attitude is bunk.
You want to know what a dispatcher suffers from??

POLITICS: Dispatchers have no worth, they are not essential personnel. They
are "just dispatchers"
TRAINING: Work with "need to know" only. Learn high volumes of information in
a short period of time. The workload is overwhelming and constant. Other jobs,
you get to learn at your own speed. This job..learn it NOW, and get it right
the first time, or someone dies.
CIVIL LIABILITY: Good Samaritan works in reverse too....if you have the skill and have been trained, NO ACTION is an action in itself. You can be sued for what you DON'T do as well as what you DO do.
SERIOUS TRAUMAS: Think about that secure, controlled environment. Imagine being the one sitting at that radio, and the only thing you can do is listen
to what's happening. Trust me, the mind's eye can sometime paint a picture that
is 10 times worse than what is on the scene.
HURRY UP AND WAIT: While officers can punch that gas pedal and physically DO something to assist another officer, the dispatcher has to start the process, then wait. From the beginning, they are taught comprehension, speed,
accuracy... you give that code for "officer needs help", listen to your units
responding, your adrenaline sky high..... every bit as high as the officer
pushing the gas pedal. Only while an arriving officer is bailing from his car
and taking care of business, this half of the Team waits...and waits..and
waits....
Sop's and POLICIES: Multi-task, Multi-agency, Multi-protocol... protocols
that change daily, only this dispatcher has to know every one, from each
agency. NOW. No time to look it up, the radio request is there..make the
decision.
MANPOWER: dispatchers suffer the same manpower shortage. They'd
like a day off extra too.
EQUIPMENT: CAD systems are a great help, MDT's in the units save radio time by dispatching non-violent calls by computer. Who does the officer yell at
when it doesn't work? From radio transmissions, to CAD and MDT's, the
dispatcher is expected to know why it isn't working, and how to get it
fixed..NOW.
BELIEF SYSTEMS: personal beliefs vs. professional assignments. "Good begets good". So why is my officer in the hospital?
PUBLIC and PRESS: the armchair quarterbacks who have never been in a Comm. Center and have never worn a badge. Police-bashing extends to dispatchers, they feel every blow.
FAMILY and FRIENDS: " What do you mean you cant be here for your nephew's birthday? Working Christmas?..cant you take off?"
SELF BLAME: "He died because I didn't hold that damn call another minute" "I could have done more, ..couldn't I?" "It's my fault.... I should have waited"
TOO CLOSE: Officers and dispatchers often date and / or marry....imagine
that dispatcher listening to his/her spouse scream "I've been shot". There
are MANY Telecommunicators on the teaching circuit right now, who lost a
spouse while working the incident.
LEO Injury or Death: there is nothing worse that the injury or death of an
officer. Something happens to a dispatcher who loses an officer on their
department, just as the officers themselves go through that horrific
transformation. When an officer dies, he takes a little bit of that dispatcher
with him. The BACKDRAFT cliche couldn't be truer......"YOU GO, WE GO."

As you develop stress programs for your departments, please dot forget to
include your Telecommunicators. There is more to them than meets the eye.
Officers should try and get a better understanding of the full spectrum of
their communications people, it's a much larger field than you realize. The
old adage is "If it ain't broke, don't fix it. " Smart, new Admins have
adopted a much better attitude "That which does not bend, breaks." Your
dispatchers suffer every bit as much as you do. "Out of site, out of mind"
is NOT the way it works. These folks are the nation's "forgotten one's", they
are care-givers as much as any officer. Just because you cant always see them,
doesn't mean they aren't there. Just because you don't see them, doesn't mean
they aren't working with you and for you. They are, in fact, your Lifeline.
And above all, they are human too.

Renee B. Meador
CISM Team Leader
Western Va CISM Team
Roanoke, Va.
E-mail: Amigo911@aol.com