Re: 911:: Officers talking back/being rude

[Guest guest]

I can't imagine how officers

> could be so rude with the people that get THEM help

> when they're the ones

> being assaulted.

>

> Take care

>

>

>

>

Best way to think of it is like a family....

it's like having 5 siblings (officers), dad (capt or

lt), and sister (or brother)/mom/babysitter

(dipsatcher) forced together for 8, 10 or 12

hours...........

think about a drive across country....and you get the

picture.... but like family, we all make up in the end

and everybody gets to go home and away from each other

for awhile....

and you love 'em all, even if they drive you crazy,

otherwise you won't stay a dispatcher..........

shauna in la

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Righto !! When I started, I was scared of the Dictaphone, but now I

know that as long as I'm doing my job properly, the Dictaphone is my friend.

One of my favorite phrases now is " Go to the tape " . In fact, we still have

the big reel to reel (talk about dinosaurs), so if I get radio traffic I

know the Sgt. is going to ask about, out comes the handy dandy recorder I

carry with me AT ALL TIMES. I make the tape, and hand it to him when he

walks through the door.

Lyn

magik@...

Re: 911:: Officers talking back/being rude

Fortunately, the taped lines covered my large rear-end when he said he saw

a murder suspect and the officers did a felony stop on the subjects. It

turned out that officer afterwards said that he had never said anything

about it being the murder suspect, but the tape proved him different.

[Guest guest]

Several years ago, an officer refused to respond on a welfare check, told the

dispatcher to hold it for day shift (20 min before shift change). The

dispatcher, who was not assertive, did as she was told.

I was her relief and as I was taking over the radio, two day watch officers

came in to get the information -- I listened to the situation, was just

appalled that she had held this call (didn't know an officer had refused it

at that point). The two day watch guys get to the scene and find the victim

dead by hanging.

Internal investigation revealed that the dispatcher had given the officer,

via telephone, all the information (history of suicide attempts etc) and his

flippant reply was " hold it for day shift " . Other officers on the night

shift had no knowledge of the call and they said had it been aired, they

would have gone if this officer had refused it on the air.

So we now have a policy that all calls will be aired (even if we've told an

officer face to face about the call) so that everyone knows.

Could we have saved this man? We'll never know. Coroner can't give an exact

time of death. He very well might have been dead at the time the call was

received.

That officer got a day or two off without pay - dispatcher got a log entry.

Neither one works for the department any more. And befor anyone says " she

should have told the watch commander " -- that officer was the watch commander

for the shift.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

Our policy is to air EVERY call. No matter how trivial

or how major. Sometimes if it involves a Special Op or

sensitive then we use common sense but we want our

officers to all know what each other are doing and

where. When they scream for help it is easier to say

where and when and what is going on then have to

explain it during their responsive which could cover

the radio traffic of the officer requesting help.

Secondly it helps the officer responding because

another officer in the field may be familiar with the

situation or have additional information.

Lastly when we are holding calls we broadcast them all

because officers in the field do not know what you are

holding on that screen and they won't until you tell

them. If they are able to go they will go but

sometimes you have to do some prodding and

advertising.

ee County Emergency Communications Center

--- dsptchmom@... wrote:

> Several years ago, an officer refused to respond on

> a welfare check, told the

> dispatcher to hold it for day shift (20 min before

> shift change). The

> dispatcher, who was not assertive, did as she was

> told.

>

> I was her relief and as I was taking over the radio,

> two day watch officers

> came in to get the information -- I listened to the

> situation, was just

> appalled that she had held this call (didn't know an

> officer had refused it

> at that point). The two day watch guys get to the

> scene and find the victim

> dead by hanging.

>

> Internal investigation revealed that the dispatcher

> had given the officer,

> via telephone, all the information (history of

> suicide attempts etc) and his

> flippant reply was " hold it for day shift " . Other

> officers on the night

> shift had no knowledge of the call and they said had

> it been aired, they

> would have gone if this officer had refused it on

> the air.

>

> So we now have a policy that all calls will be aired

> (even if we've told an

> officer face to face about the call) so that

> everyone knows.

>

> Could we have saved this man? We'll never know.

> Coroner can't give an exact

> time of death. He very well might have been dead at

> the time the call was

> received.

>

> That officer got a day or two off without pay -

> dispatcher got a log entry.

> Neither one works for the department any more. And

> befor anyone says " she

> should have told the watch commander " -- that

> officer was the watch commander

> for the shift.

>

> Kathy

>

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

<<Internal investigation revealed that the dispatcher had given the officer,

via telephone, all the information (history of suicide attempts etc) and his

flippant reply was " hold it for day shift " . Other officers on the night

shift had no knowledge of the call and they said had it been aired, they

would have gone if this officer had refused it on the air.

So we now have a policy that all calls will be aired (even if we've told an

officer face to face about the call) so that everyone knows.>>

Once again, it seems like this tragic situation was turned around to appear

as if dispatch somehow was at fault. This is sad. Was the officer ever

disciplined?

Greene Central Communications, OH

My opinion only and not necessarily that of my co-workers or department.

[Guest guest]

>So we now have a policy that all calls will be aired (even if we've told an

officer face to face about the call) so that everyone knows.>>

Once again, it seems like this tragic situation was turned around to appear

as if dispatch somehow was at fault. <

You've hit on one of my pet peeves...

Someone doing something wrong (the Officer not taking the call)....

More work on Dispatch.. (airing every call, when it may not be necessary)

Happens all the time... something doesn't go right, through absolutely

no fault of dispatch, and more work is added to *dispatch*...

If it's one thing supervisors should fight, it's this...

If we make a mistake, correct US.

If someone else makes a mistake, correct THEM.

This kind of thing is true " stress " ... handling a bad call, I can do that.

The bureaucratic nonsense, load everything on dispatch, drives me

up the wall...

Weintraut

[Guest guest]

We have the same problem from time to time. I just keep reminding myself to

stay professional on the radio. It's my way of rubbing it in. Because believe

me that when they come into the office I will absolutely without a doubt let

them know what I think. Believe it or not that has strengthened the

relationshiop between me and the deputies. They know that we expect to be

treated with respect and that when we have a beef it's in their best interest to

listen. They understand that we are looking out for their safety and everyone's

sanity.

Charlottesville, VA Fire Dept.

Fluvanna County SO

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 08/06/2000 7:23:54 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

Fdbruno@... writes:

<< We have the same problem from time to time. I just keep reminding myself

to stay professional on the radio. >>

This whole discussion has made me realize how fortunate I am to work where I

do. Our dept is small compared to some on this list. Perhaps its the fact

that we each have our assigned shift that we work with most days, or because

our guys begin each shift from headquarters and we do know them well, but we

don't run into the problem of anyone " talking back " or getting rude on the

air.

Should this happen I have this vision of our " brass " racing each other to the

radio room and fighting for the air time to order the offender in off the

road. Don't think for an instant that we all play nice all the time. You

can make your displeasure known just by the tone of your voice and we have

had a few occasions of that from our wonderful guys and gals on the road, but

they are few and far between.

In our neck of the woods the standard for radio etiquette is extremely high.

We have a great bunch of dispatchers, probably the best in the area, and we

try to set the standard. Not to say we don't have some " words " over a

particular call or a mistake someone might have made, but we save those for

" in house " . That way the rest of the world still thinks we're " damn near

perfect " .

I know, myself, when I hear a dispatcher and officer from neighboring towns

sniping at each other on the air I am embarrased to even listen.

We also save any lengthy conversations, wise alek remarks or off color

comments for our channel 6 (road dept channel) and only in the middle of the

night. We don't get away with much......BIG BROTHER is always listening.

Patty

BTPD NJ