STORY TOOLS

• E-mail story
• Comments
• iPod friendly
• Printer friendly

More Letters

• Letter to the Editor: Power of the sun
• Letter to the Editor: Yes to dogs in parks
• Letter to the Editor: Retaliation

Share and Enjoy [?]

In recent days we have read about a Public Safety Dispatcher in Sarasota County who failed to make a timely transmission to patrol unit(s) that might have prevented a murder. In today’s news it was reported that a dispatcher in Phoenix, Arizona, fell asleep in the middle of an emergency response request call from a local citizen.

While the above two references are upsetting and, in the case of the Sarasota County Dispatcher, horrible, I would like to provide a few facts for consideration. Dispatchers are civilian employees of the government municipality by whom they are employed. Generally, a dispatcher’s salary does not even come close to the starting salary of a sworn officer. This is and has been a long-standing injustice. The dispatcher is the lifeline between a desperate citizen or situation and the emergency response called for, as well as proper reaction to an officer in trouble by providing the backup needed. Additionally, he/she is relied upon to provide an endless base of information to inform and assist the officer in the field.

Not all dispatchers bring the desired commitment to the job. Most however do, but due to the low salary base, the ranks are often staffed with people working it as a second job. Combine this with overtime shifts necessitated because of the difficulty in filling dispatcher vacancies, and problems are sure to occur.

The first step in reducing the weaknesses in this most vital phase of reaction and response to police emergencies is to provide an attractive wage level for these public servants. Until this happens not all the positions will ever be filled with competent individuals. Not to recognize this need is to ensure a continuation of some amount of mediocrity in the dispatcher ranks. More training comes next but without offering a decent wage for dispatchers, the better and brighter candidates will never apply for the job.

Walter Kane, Goodland