Becoming a Dispatcher

[MR Chi city]

Good evening,
I would like to know how to become a police dispatcher/telecommunicator? What are some steps to better you chances of getting hired? How well do most dispatchers and officer get along? Finally feel free to offer any additional tips. Thank you

[Iowa #1603]

Good evening,
I would like to know how to become a police dispatcher/telecommunicator? What are some steps to better you chances of getting hired? How well do most dispatchers and officer get along? Finally feel free to offer any additional tips. Thank you

How to become a dispatcher:
Get hired.

Do dispatchers and officers get along:
In many places they don't even know each other

TIPS:
Learn to type fast
Know how to mulit-task

[MR Chi city]

As a fallow up I would like to know how to increase my chances of being hired as a dispatcher/telecommunicator? Finally what are some advantages and disadvantages with single dispatch agencies VS consolidated centers? Thank you?

[tj05]

As a fallow up I would like to know how to increase my chances of being hired as a dispatcher/telecommunicator? Finally what are some advantages and disadvantages with single dispatch agencies VS consolidated centers? Thank you?

Stay out of trouble. Can't answer the second part, because I've never been a dispatcher.

[jdthor]

no Criminal history helps,no one wants a dispatcher who might tip off their friends when a raids coming if they over hear a address when Tact is going out and EMS is being put on standby .

[tanksoldier]

Good evening,
I would like to know how to become a police dispatcher/telecommunicator? What are some steps to better you chances of getting hired? How well do most dispatchers and officer get along? Finally feel free to offer any additional tips. Thank you

A friend is a dispatcher for a consolidated center in California. VERY stressful and VERY important job. I probably couldn't do it myself.

About half the dispatcher is OUR comm center are married or related to somebody else in the "community": Fire, EMS, or LE. They try to schedule them so they aren't working the same shift for obvious reasons, but it doesn't always work out.

Same with a CSP dispatch center I toured. Virtually everyone I talked to in there was married or otherwise related to somebody on the road with the CSP.

It may or may not be that way with other agencies.

Outside of that, how well we get along depends on the dispatcher and the deputy. I've never met any of our dispatchers, outside of one who is a wife of a co-worker and dropped by for something or other one time, but I recognize them by voice. I've driven halfway across this state with a van full of inmates, and a dispatcher who kept forgetting I was out there... and who repeatedly failed to perform required status checks. Not my favorite person. She also forgets I called out somewhere, and will call my cell asking why I'm not answering the radio. "Um, because I'm inside a jail hooking up inmates?" Mistakes happen, but three times in one week?

Others are outstandingly on the ball. There's one lady in particular I'm always happy to hear answer when I call on.

It just depends.

Type fast, have a good ear, get the officers information in a timely fashion. Recognize what's important and what can wait. Nobody wants to be sitting beside the road wondering of they just pulled over Ted Bundy... but nobody needs an irrelevant laundry list either.

[PhilipCal]

With my Agency, dispatchers are classified as Police Communications Officers. They are assigned to DPS Headquarters Montgomery, or at Highway Patrol Posts throughout the state.

The fist step in being hired for this classification is to pass a written Merit System (Civil Service) exam. Although a grade of 70% is "passing" an applicant would need to score in the mid to high nineties to be a viable candidate.

[MR Chi city]

Ok, so I have done several "sit along's" in various police communication centers, and have gotten a gimps of what goes on, do you think this helps or hurts? I should note that most are single agency centers not consolidated centers. Thanks

[chapwolfe]

It can work both ways. The folks you sat with will form opinions of you and whether or not they think you'd fit with their organization. When the hiring manager asks what they think, they can help you, hurt you, or have no opinion either way.

[SmallCityCop]

Our dispatchers, or "Police Communications Operator (PCO)" are in-house, and work out of our police station. We have 6 dispatchers, 2 per shift. They are extremely good at what they do and we are all one big happy family, because they watch over our backs while we are out doing our thing.

[Dispatch_mama]

I'm seven months into the hiring process. Just did my live scan. So far what's left is BI coming to my home... Yup this is new I've been told. Psych test and med exam.

I've done two sit ins and I had a ball both times. I've gotten the hang of the calls, even the fire medic side, but that darn pic and radio side got me shook! In definitely going back to sit in again. Good to know people in certain places.

My friends make fun of me when I go BC they say I'm working for free. No I'm not, I'm investing in my future and the future of others. Hoping to make the class starting in Sept.

[Iowa #1603]

My friends make fun of me when I go BC they say I'm working for free. No I'm not, I'm investing in my future and the future of others. Hoping to make the class starting in Sept.

The person who is interested in dispatching and doesn't do a "sit in" is a fool. Often the person sits for a shift and quickly realizes that it isn't for them.

The dispatcher is an integral part of the LE team & finding someone who can do it well is rarer than finding a good street cop.