Re: 911:: How do you occupy yourself during down time?

November 21, 2006

Cell Phones-personal cells not allowed to be turned on in room

Laptops-yes but no internet connection

Internet-yes within established policy

Card Games-probably but never seen it done

Board Games- ditto

Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc) - yes

Handheld Electronic Games - yes

Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc) - yes

Homework - yes

PC Games - yes

TV - yes

DVD Players - yes

Radio/Music - yes but no headphones/earplugs

Read (books,magazines,newspapers) yes

November 21, 2006

For Lancaster County PA:Cell Phones: NO

Laptops:NO

Internet: Limited Access Work Related

Card Games: YES

Board Games: YES

Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc) Limited

Handheld Electronic Games NO

Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc) YES

Homework YES

PC Games NO

TV YES

DVD Players YES

Radio/Music NO

Read (books,magazines,newspapers YES. As long as work as being done and no

phone calls or radio transmissions are missed, we can do the following. If

stuff is being missed, then it's revoked. But, it's never been a problem as

long as I've worked there..

>

> I need to find out what types of " non work related " activities are

> allowed in other centers.

>

> I need very specific information. I have a list of activities below.

> Please answer yes/no to each. If there is a caveat such as " allowed to use

> cell phone but only for text messaging " or " internet but only work related

> sites " please include that too.

>

> It is also VERY important that I know what agency you work for so please

> include that in your response.

>

> Thank you in advance for your help!

>

> Cell Phones

> Laptops

> Internet

> Card Games

> Board Games

> Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc)

> Handheld Electronic Games

> Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc)

> Homework

> PC Games

> TV

> DVD Players

> Radio/Music

> Read (books,magazines,newspapers)

>

November 21, 2006

HI,

Here is our policy at Utah County Sheriff's Office, in Spanish Fork Utah

Cell Phones--no

Laptops-no

Internet--yes

Card Games--yes

Board Games--yes

Crafts (knit,crochet, scrapbook, etc)--yes

Handheld Electronic Games --no

Puzzles (crossword,wordsear ch,etc)-yes

Homework--yes

PC Games--yes

TV--yes--not during business hours

DVD Players--our computers are dvd compatible, but also not during business

hours, and no rated R movies or above, due to our Sexual Harrassment policy

Radio/Music--yes

Read (books,magazines, newspapers)--yes

Let me know if you have any questions

Heidi Johansen

" Woodrow, (LESA Com) " wrote:

I need to find out what types of " non work related " activities are

allowed in other centers.

I need very specific information. I have a list of activities below. Please

answer yes/no to each. If there is a caveat such as " allowed to use cell phone

but only for text messaging " or " internet but only work related sites " please

include that too.

It is also VERY important that I know what agency you work for so please include

that in your response.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Cell Phones

Laptops

Internet

Card Games

Board Games

Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc)

Handheld Electronic Games

Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc)

Homework

PC Games

TV

DVD Players

Radio/Music

Read (books,magazines,newspapers)

---------------------------------

Sponsored Link

Get an Online or Campus degree - Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's -in less

than one year.

November 21, 2006

In ref to the " down time " request, our agency for many years allowed

individuals to read the newspaper, magazines and even play board games on the

weekends and nights it was slow in the room. We finally were given access to

the

internet primarily to track our Medflight helicopter. Supervisors knew that

individuals sitting near that one computer with internet access were using the

computer to look at personal stuff including bank statements, real estate,

etc. Supervisors were also doing the same. We were then told that all

reading material was no longer allowed in the room and the internet use was for

tracking our Medflight only. One of our dispatchers, who happens to be a

supervisor, suggested to the Comm Admin that he could conduct a survey such as

this

one to see what other agencies our size was doing during " down time " . The

results he received back showed that many other agencies our size in our area

allowed for reading of the news paper, magazines, tv, etc. So with that

information, the policy was reversed. Then during our latest tropical storm

which turned out to be a rain storm only, the Sheriff showed up just after

midnight when the rest of the Admin had gone home and seen one supervisor with

his

feet up on a console watching DVD's on an agency labtop. Another dispatcher

reading a magazine that was " not appropriate material " for the workplace. We

have since been told no more newspapers, magazines (including 911 magazine,

EMD newsletters, galls, etc) no tv except news and weather only. The

supervisors literally went console to console and removed all material except

the

phone books. Morale in the room as dropped to an all time low, and dispatchers

are putting in letters to transfer to other dept's within the agency.

However, if approved for another position we have an un written rule in our

communications center that once you process for a position(which can take up to

3

months) you have a hold placed on you for an additional 6 months. Meaning,

even if you do get approved for a position that needs filled, its quite

possible the position will be gone by the time your 6 months hold is up. Just

as a

caution, if your agency is considering implementing a new " down time " policy,

make sure everyone, including the supervisors are aware of the boundaries,

because like our agency, the judgement of one supervisor and one senior

dispatcher can ruin it for all. Are " down time " policy has since changed to

the

meaning of " breaks away from the work area " . We work 12.25 hour shifts and

receive only two 20 min. breaks, and like most other comm centers, we have no

lunch break either. We receive the same vacation time and sick time as other

civilians yet when we take a vacation day we burn 12.25 hrs of it, not 8 like

other civilians. We were hired to multitask, but our agency now has the

opinion that we cant multi-task enough to sit at a radio console and read the

newspaper when its slow at 2 A.M. Prior to this new policy, there was never an

incident involving our agency with negligence from lack of attention to the

radio or phones. I understand the position our agency has taken on " down

time " , but it has turned those of us who planned on spending quite a few years

in

dispatch into those ready to move on weather its in the agency or not.

Below are my answers.

Thanks,

SW FL

(the opinions expressed in this material is just that, my opinions, which is

most cases can be backed up by public record requests)

Cell Phones: NO

Laptops: NO

Internet: YES, NOT ALLOWED TO UTILIZE IT

Card Games: NO

Board Games: NO

Crafts (knit,crochet,Crafts Crafts

Handheld Electronic Games: NO

Puzzles (crossword,wordsearPuzzles (cr

Homework: NO

PC Games: NO

TV: YES NEWS AND WEATHER ONLY

DVD Players: NO

Radio/Music: NO

Read (books,magazines,Read (books,mag

November 21, 2006

Woodrow, (LESA Com) wrote:

>I need to find out what types of " non work related " activities are allowed in

other centers.

>

>I need very specific information. I have a list of activities below. Please

answer yes/no to each. If there is a caveat such as " allowed to use cell phone

but only for text messaging " or " internet but only work related sites " please

include that too.

>

>It is also VERY important that I know what agency you work for so please

include that in your response.

>

>Thank you in advance for your help!

>

>Cell Phones - Allowed, must be on vibrate or silent .. " short " calls only

>Laptops - No problem, allowed

>Internet - Access for supervisors and senior dispatchers only - work related

only

>Card Games - No problem, allowed

>Board Games - No problem, allowed

>Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc), No problem .. mostly done on graves

>Handheld Electronic Games - allowed all shifts

>Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc) - allowed all shifts

>Homework - allowed .. mostly done on graves

>PC Games - allowed, all shifts

>TV - special programs only during the day, always on at night .. never with

trainees on the floor

>DVD Players - same as TV's

>Radio/Music - always on if TV is not

>Read (books,magazines,newspapers) - allowed, I read the paper everyday, as time

allows

>

Agency is Kern County Sheriff's Department in Central CA .. fully

staffed 35 dispatchers and 7 supervisors

Mike

--

miked911@...

Mike Derryberry

Dispatcher II

Kern County Sheriff's Department

Bakersfield, CA

Listen to my department:

http://216.66.69.100:3074/listen.pls

Listen to Kern County Scanning:

http://216.66.69.100:3070/listen.pls

Listen to Central California Fire Scanning

http://216.66.69.100:3072/listen.pls

November 22, 2006

Mike Derryberry wrote: Woodrow, (LESA

Com) wrote:

>I need to find out what types of " non work related " activities are allowed in

other centers.

>

>I need very specific information. I have a list of activities below. Please

answer yes/no to each. If there is a caveat such as " allowed to use cell phone

but only for text messaging " or " internet but only work related sites " please

include that too.

>

>It is also VERY important that I know what agency you work for so please

include that in your response.

>

>Thank you in advance for your help!

>

>Cell Phones - allowed to be on vibrate.must step out to use when it permits

Laptops okay to be used on grave

Internet - Access allowed to all dispatchers-blocker set up by city IS

department

>Card Games - allowed on grave when traffic is slow

>Board Games - allowed on grave also when it is slow

>Crafts (knit,crochet,scrapbook,etc), mostly done on graves

>Handheld Electronic Games - allowed all shifts

>Puzzles (crossword,wordsearch,etc) - allowed all shifts

>Homework - allowed .. mostly done on graves

>PC Games - allowed, all shifts

>TV - special programs like CNN or news only during the day, always on at night

...

>DVD Players - only on grave

>Radio/Music - allowed to be used from computer as long as it doesn't disturb

other dispatchers and can't be heard over radio

>Read (books,magazines,newspapers) - allowed, I read the paper everyday, as time

allows

>Basically restrictions are set at a minimum the dept values our opinions and

trusts that dispatchers will not jepordize their position

Agency is Kingman PD

--

Recent Activity

7

New Members

Visit Your Group

New Message Search

Find the message you want faster. Visit your group to try out the improved

message search.

Share feedback on the new changes to Groups

.

---------------------------------

Sponsored Link

Get an Online or Campus degree - Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's -in less

than one year.

November 23, 2006

If I've mentioned this before please forgive me. Several of the ways that I

occupy my time is watching the one or more trains that go by my PD. It's a

reginal carrier operating from Jersey City NJ to Syracuse NY with size of the

trains ranging from one engien and a few cars to multiple engines and up to 200

cars. Since it's uphill, they often stall blocking crossings cutting our town

in half for a few hours at a time.

Another thing I do is watch the traffic going by as I have a few of 7

streets through the windows and another 2 if I use the cameras. We are located

in the center o town where a lot of streets junction with 300 feet of my office.

This is all part of my job since we are also supposed to watch for traffic

problems and anyone damaging our borough property.

Rich Dean

November 23, 2006

If I've mentioned this before please forgive me. Several of the ways that I

occupy my time is watching the one or more trains that go by my PD. It's a

reginal carrier operating from Jersey City NJ to Syracuse NY with size of the

trains ranging from one engien and a few cars to multiple engines and up to 200

cars. Since it's uphill, they often stall blocking crossings cutting our town

in half for a few hours at a time.

Another thing I do is watch the traffic going by as I have a few of 7

streets through the windows and another 2 if I use the cameras. We are located

in the center o town where a lot of streets junction with 300 feet of my office.

This is all part of my job since we are also supposed to watch for traffic

problems and anyone damaging our borough property.

Rich Dean

December 6, 2006