Re: 911:: Re:Center Staffing

[Guest guest]

I can assure you all that center staffing is an issue of universal concern. I

have written an article concerning this for an upcoming issue of 9-1-1

Magazine. Also, APCO has established a task force, of which I am a member, to

investigate this problem and to make recommendations to the membership at the

annual conference in Boston in August. In upcoming months, the APCO Bulletin

will be running a survey on this subject, and participation from all - APCO

member or not - is encouraged. I'll be posting our progress from time to time

on the list. The comments already made on this thread are unfortunately

familiar ones. The effects of this crisis are felt by everyone in our

industry.

[Guest guest]

Well now, does this sound familiar? Am I wrong or is this universal?

The administration always seems to find twice the money to hire new

officers over the lower paid, Shorter staffed dispatcher corps. Only way

I can think their reasoning is, that officers are more visible to the

citizens, over the dispatchers, most likely buried in the basement some

where. I guess it is just a Cross the Dispatcher must bear. Sad tho it

may be, I guess it is the Dispatcher's way of life. As my old Chief

used to tell me, " hang in Vern, next year is Dispatcher's year " .

YEAH SURE.

Praying God looks kindly on those manage to survive and provide the

service to the public, who do not realize the facts of life as it is.

Vern

Retired

Served Proudly

>

>

>

> In a message dated 3/27/00 9:13:06 PM US Mountain Standard Time,

> estinneford@... writes:

> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>snip<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

F We will see...the city

> administration doesn't mind hiring new officers,but they seem to get

> heartburn when it comes to hiring dispatchers.

>

> Freida

> Lavergne PD

> (these are my thoughts and opinions only,neither supported nor offered

> by my department)

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yep, we added six new officers and about 30 security officers over the past

few years. Increased work for the dispatchers, but no increase in the

number of dispatchers. Of course, I shouldn't feels so bad. It's not only

us they forget about.

With these new officers, they didn't see a need to buy 6 additional radios

(each officer and security officer has a take home radio. Pretty cool!) I

was supposed to take it out of security. Also, the director got upset when

they asked for an additional car to accomodate the additional officers.

Huh??? Hint to administrators: If you hire more officers, you need to make

sure you buy the equipment they need to do their job!!! This includes their

support staff - namely dispatchers!

*steam, steam*

annette hallmark

ahallmark@...

<<snip>>

Well now, does this sound familiar? Am I wrong or is this universal?

The administration always seems to find twice the money to hire new

officers over the lower paid, Shorter staffed dispatcher corps. Only way

I can think their reasoning is, that officers are more visible to the

citizens, over the dispatchers, most likely buried in the basement some

where. I guess it is just a Cross the Dispatcher must bear. Sad tho it

may be, I guess it is the Dispatcher's way of life. As my old Chief

used to tell me, " hang in Vern, next year is Dispatcher's year " .

YEAH SURE.

Praying God looks kindly on those manage to survive and provide the

service to the public, who do not realize the facts of life as it is.

Vern

Retired

Served Proudly

<<snip>>

[Guest guest]

It sounds very familiar. The high turnover in police officers have

gotten a lot of attention and the city powers are looking into finding a

way to increase their salaries. It has finally become a " public safety "

issue, so now they 're also looking into fire fighter salaries, but it

seems to be a lesser priority than police.

Here dispatch/911 is not part of " pubic safety " when these extra raises

for public safety are considered. We're in with the rest of the (also

under paid) city employees. Oh well!

EJ

Fayetteville (NC) Communications

---Original Message---

>

>  Well now, does this sound familiar? Am I

>wrong or is this universal? The administration

>always seems to find twice the money to hire

>new officers over the lower paid, Shorter

>staffed dispatcher corps. Only way I can think

>their reasoning is, that officers are more visible

>to the citizens, over the dispatchers, most

>likely buried in the basement some where. I

>guess it is just a Cross the Dispatcher must

>bear. Sad tho it may be, I guess it is the

>Dispatcher's way of life.   As my old Chief

>used to tell me, " hang in Vern, next year is

>Dispatcher's year " . YEAH SURE.

[Guest guest]

> > Praying God looks kindly on those manage to survive and provide the

> service to the public, who do not realize the facts of life as it is.

>

> Vern

> Retired

> Served Proudly

>

Ain't it the truth!!!!! We have one patrol car redlined and one ready to

fall apart and what pops up in the city garage.....a brand new unit for the

Chief!!! HEL-LO!!!! Am I hallucinating or does this so NOT make sense?

Lyn

magik@...

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

>

>

> Here dispatch/911 is not part of " pubic safety " >

> EJ

> Fayetteville (NC) Communications

>

EJ, We try not to talk about pubic safety in front of others in our radio

room. Just kidding!!

Lyn

magik@...

[Guest guest]

BarryFurey@... wrote:

>

Sounds good. Now when all is said and done and they come to a final

answer, xerox,eMail,fax,snail mail,telephone,telegraph multiple copies

to each and every City, State, County, College, University, Mayor,

Council member, etc. Flood them with the results. Perhaps they will wake

up to the problems.

Vern

Retired

Served Proudly

> From: BarryFurey@...

>

> I can assure you all that center staffing is an issue of universal

> concern. I

> have written an article concerning this for an upcoming issue of 9-1-1

>

> Magazine. Also, APCO has established a task force, of which I am a

> member, to

> investigate this problem and to make recommendations to the membership

> at the

> annual conference in Boston in August. In upcoming months, the APCO

> Bulletin

> will be running a survey on this subject, and participation from all -

> APCO

> member or not - is encouraged. I'll be posting our progress from time

> to time

> on the list. The comments already made on this thread are

> unfortunately

> familiar ones. The effects of this crisis are felt by everyone in our

>

> industry.

>

[Guest guest]

ok, In our GTE phonebook for our town, which I better not name at this

moment...

It lists the Department of Pubic Safety with address and phone. Don't

you know

our troopers love that....

Dana

This is not the opinion of my Department, just my own, which probably

stinks most

of the time. Will serve proudly anyway. =^'''^=

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