Going from Dispatcher/Call Taker to Officer

[canuck21]

Hi Everyone

I was hoping you guys could give me some advice from an outsider-perspective. Like the subject says, I would like to move from the radio room to becoming sworn. Also, I would prefer to do this within my current department (Municipal in Canada). This is mainly because it is a smaller department, and I have a great working relationship with everybody, including "the big cheeses" upstairs.

Would you recommend that I got some experience as an auxiliary officer first? The problem is that since my department is fairly small, but in a huge urban area, it's very, very competitive. I'm still a bit too young right now, and still in the process of completing my degree. I'm not very 'competitive' at this point.

Everyone (at work) has told me: Yes, BUT, you're too young still (almost not hired for dispatch due to this), and we would like you to finish school first.

So should I still try auxiliary? I know a lot of policing duties already (perhaps our guys can be a bit busy/lazy sometimes so I often do a lot of their paperwork), but I haven't been "hands-on" in the field.

Thanks for any input

[purdinpopo]

Do the auxiliary thing if you can, some people discover the road is not for them. You might try it at another agency, so if you make some rookie mistake, it does not poison your current department/job. Also being too helpful can be a drawback sometimes, as people will want to keep you where you are at rather than have you upgrade and quit doing their paperwork, I mean if it is your job then have at and be efficient, but if you are not supposed to do it why do it. The more your department sees you as a "real cop", the more they will think of you that way, and the easier it will be to make the switch. When you auxiliary make sure that you do what the Full time is telling you, nothing annoys the full timer more than being second guessed on a call. If you do something that seems not normal, ask after you are alone with the full time, there might be a solid reason to change SOP in that case.

[scuba4321]

I am doing the change know, I have over 3 years at my county 911 center as dispatch/calltaker. I started at the Sheriffs department. Alot of my fellow male dispatchers use this as a stepping stone to go to police, or fire. In my county 911, fire , and Sheriffs are all under the control of the County. So i will work my 14, 12hr shifts a month at the Sheriffs and pick up part time 911 at the OT rate.