IF I COULD BE SHERIFF WHAT WOULD I LIKE TO SEE DONE

We have a Administrator (like a captain) and a Director (like a LT) in charge of four squads of 911/dispatchers. Along with the EVERY DAY ISSUES the issues and concerns of consolidation with LPPD, SPD, 18 Fire stations, EMS and EOC personnel along with thier own HCSO issues. With five personnel positions short. The LE radio operators of the three main radio channels North South and SPD are still having to answer 911 and Admin phone lines. If the trainees they have can get through training and the five positions can be filled and then those trainees can get through training and hopefully @ least three of these trainees can make it all the way to LE radio operatos - then HOPEFULLY the LE radio radio operators can stop answering the phones and 911 and left concentrating on thier radio channels I KNOW you would see a BIG improvement that is needed and wanted by everyone no one more than dispatch. This has been the plan from the on set of consolidated communications but it does not happen over night especially with as I previously stated all the growing pains dispatch has had. MOST dispatchers are trained ON THE JOB NOT JUST IN HIGHLANDS COUNTY - HOWEVER WHEN YOU TRAINER IS PULLING A POSITION WHILE TRYING TO TRAIN - GUESS WHAT IT TAKES TIME - AND LIKE WE HAVE FOUND OUT THE HARD WAY NOT EVERYONE CAN BE A DISPATCHER. The multi-tasking is enough to have out of five hired they are lucky if they get one ABLE TO CARRY THE LOAD MULTI-TASKING LE radio operator that will put up with the work load, stress and shift work - not to mention appreciation for what they do is often over looked and under appreciated- when do they get a Kudos from anyone besides BG or HC or the Sheriff - can't remember when!

As a long term dispatcher up there with many years of experience, I have to agree that things have NEVER been so stressful in there. Even with a couple of dedicated call takers, we still have plenty of overflow calls that the radio operators have to answer. There's no way one or two people can handle all the incoming calls, probably 60 or 70% are still picked up by radio operators. When the switchboard operator is out to lunch or out sick, make it 80% or more. What the previous poster stated is true, if we get six new hires at once we're lucky to still have one or two six months later. It's ALWAYS been like that, even before all this added workload. And with the addition of SPD, we got only ONE additional LE dispatcher out of the deal. The other two or three that came from the PD didn't stay long. And now they're pushing to add APPD to the mix- I get hives just thinking about it. We're barely keeping our heads above water now, and we don't have enough personnel. We're being told to expect lots of overtime. Guess if no new personnel are forthcoming, we're just going to be worked into the ground. Not trying to gripe, I'm just a little burned out and hope that everyone is understanding and patient with us, and that we don't let anyone down because it certainly isn't intentional if we do!

What is appd dispatch doing so much differently then our own. We may not type your reports for you and we may not call you sir butour dispatch is good. Just like the road squads have some bad apples, so does dispatch. If you don't like the job we are doing, by all means come up and do it yourself.

We do not need to be called ma'am or sir after every acknoweldgement. Also, we do not expect for comm center personnel to type reports. APPD dispatch does not type officer's reports, either.

What APPD dispatch does different is they are more professional over the air, quicker to respond and process the requests of officers, and they seem to remember that THEY WORK FOR THE OFFICER, and not the other way around. The order in which to call a 10-50, for example. I know there is an accepted order that makes it easy for comm center personnel. We strive to do this and make your job easier. But when things are unfolding quick and something looks like it might go bad....adrenaline.....etc., don't get upset if we jumble the order up. You work for us, so DO IT. We appreciate the sarcastic offer to "come up and do it ourselves," but most did not go the the LE academy to work in the comm center. Sorry.

With all that said, APPD dispatch and central dispatch are apples and oranges, so it is not fair to compare the systems as a whole. However, the courtesy, efficiency, and attention to detail makes it for a more pleasant 12.25-bat least on our end.

THEY WORK FOR THE OFFICER, and not the other way around. The order in which to call a 10-50, for example. I know there is an accepted order that makes it easy for comm center personnel. We strive to do this and make your job easier. But when things are unfolding quick and something looks like it might go bad....adrenaline.....etc., don't get upset if we jumble the order up. You work for us, so DO IT. We appreciate the sarcastic offer to "come up and do it ourselves," but most did not go the the LE academy to work in the comm center.

Well said.

My mistake I thought we worked for the citizens of Highlands County and the Sheriff. I also thought that all of us at the HCSO worked as a team and each of us had different job tasks but we were suppose to be working together. I have even heard dispatch discribed as a tool but I guess someone forgot to tell us WE WORK FOR THE COPS - SO JUST DO IT!

[tanandblack]

We do not need to be called ma'am or sir after every acknoweldgement. Also, we do not expect for comm center personnel to type reports. APPD dispatch does not type officer's reports, either.

What APPD dispatch does different is they are more professional over the air, quicker to respond and process the requests of officers, and they seem to remember that THEY WORK FOR THE OFFICER, and not the other way around. The order in which to call a 10-50, for example. I know there is an accepted order that makes it easy for comm center personnel. We strive to do this and make your job easier. But when things are unfolding quick and something looks like it might go bad....adrenaline.....etc., don't get upset if we jumble the order up. You work for us, so DO IT. We appreciate the sarcastic offer to "come up and do it ourselves," but most did not go the the LE academy to work in the comm center. Sorry.

With all that said, APPD dispatch and central dispatch are apples and oranges, so it is not fair to compare the systems as a whole. However, the courtesy, efficiency, and attention to detail makes it for a more pleasant 12.25-bat least on our end.

If you are a slick sleeve road officer, when did you become a supervisor to anyone? Dispatchers do not work for you. They work in unison with you. You are no better than they are. You are trained in another area of law enforcement. They are trained in another. This superior mindset must be something they teach in more recent academies. There is nothing worse than a bad working relationship between road officers and duty officers. I can speak to this issue because I have sat in both seats. You each have your own seperate stressful situations.

Ah, I see.

Never claimed to be a supervisor of anyone. And definitely not a rookie. Not a trooper either.

Struck a little nerve cause everyone wears their emotions on their "slick" sleeve-- possibly including me on this one, cause beyond it being a respect, efficiency and courtesy issue, it is a safety issue when pissing contests ensue. The post I responded to was written by (someone who claims to be) a dispatcher- saying "by all means come up and do it yourself" ....THAT is the attitude problem. I was merely responding with the reaction of most officers to that problem. And yes, that is a seious problem.

My (missed) point was this: YES- we do work together, or at least we should. But when on the way to a call, on a call, etc., in those istuations, which is the majority of the job...checking 29's, 27's, whatever-- Dispatch is there FOR THE OFFICER. Period. Say all you want that we work for the citizens and sheriff/chief or whatever, but when it comes down to it, that is the cold reality.

Is it my fault that we have brass tripping over each other and the comm center is spread to thin? NO- not my fault, but it becomes my problem. It is too hard on the dispatchers and, in turn, too hard on the patrol. Therefore, I suffer too. We all end up suffering together, and that is never good.

So do not come on here to compare Central Dispatch to APPD dispatch, and have the attitude that I should "come up and do it yourself" - Don't say that kinda sh*t if you don't want an honest officer's reaction. We work for each other and with each other or people get hurt. Not out to hurt feelings, but rather to tell it like I see it.

Behind the Wheel is correct in all that is posted. Our dispatch for the most are good at what they do. Unfortunately, dispatch has a lot of lazy employees or maybe they are not motivated or “burnt out”. There are some dispatch supervisors that set the example by being sarcastic or lazy on the radio and allows there subordinates to do the same. I believe it is a lack of training and the lack of knowledge they have of law enforcement (road patrol). Hopefully the problems can be resolved and maybe APPD communications will bring some motivation to the comm. center.

APPD provide motivation? How? Last I heard, none of their dispatchers had expressed any interest in coming over during the consolidation, and if any do, it probably won't be more than one or two, with the way our luck runs. I'm sure there are some lazy, unprofessional dispatchers in our comm, but let me tell you this, I've seen plenty of deputies with the same problem over the years. No one really sticks out as being that way now, but's it's happened in the past. I'd like to think that as a whole we're not all that way. I know that no one I work with is. Motivation is hard to come by these days, but most of us try. When the whole department goes to lunch every day, where do you think they forward all their calls? When the courthouse offices (zoning, tax collector, etc.) are at lunch or don't answer their phones, guess where they ring? Who helps out central records with validations when they need it, and takes over civil and warrants divisions at night and on weekends? We've also had a 'crisis hotline' installed in dispatch where we have to sit and 'counsel' teenagers or anyone else who calls when they've broken up with their boyfriend, are being bullied in school, or whatever else they want to talk to someone about, and we have to do this along with our LE duties. All while eating our lunch or dinner at the console while working. So yeah, we may not be real energetic or motivated right now. Plus our workload has increased while our manpower hasn't. I think part of the problem is that a lot of people don't realize what all we have to do in there. The main problem is not having dedicated radio operators. All radio operators are also making and answering calls, so it makes it hard sometimes. And of course, we're completely invisible in there unless we make a mistake or screw something up. I guess on top of all this increased workload and the massive changes being made, it kind of stings a little to be compared unfavorably to another agency like this all the time, especially to the ones of us who are trying and doing our best with the cobbled-together resources we have.