what courses do i need to become a police dispatcher?
I put on office administration to help me more to become a police dispatcher as in being able to have better customer service and being able to multitask. #law-enforcement
2 answers
Kim’s Answer
Hi Katia!
Thank you for your interest in being a police dispatcher! Rather than asking what courses you need, I suggest we back up a step, to something you started on . . . identifying the skills needed to be a successful police dispatcher! You already identified two: customer service and multitasking. Let's look at the others.
- Typing speed: without the required typing speed (usually 40/45 wpm) you won't get an interview. There are lots of on-line practice sites. I like typingtest.com Do it for at least 3 minutes. Everyone is fast at one minute. By three minutes you start slowing down.
- Ability to stay calm under pressure. (volunteer someplace where people are under a lot of stress, like a hurricane relief center, except y'all don't have hurricanes. . . but, you get the idea, maybe a hospital?)
- Ability to keep your VOICE calm under pressure.
- A basic understanding of law enforcement lingo and procedures. You will pick up a lot of it on the job, but it's nice to know the difference between misdemeanors and felonies, a little bit about warrant verification, how to get someone to give you a description of a suspect, etc. You can get this through an Introductory Criminal Justice class. You can also get it doing ride-alongs with the police. I encourage you to do these it will put you out there in the real world.
- An understanding of people, in general, and a healthy skepticism of EVERYTHING they tell you. Yes, I exaggerate. But, when someone calls in and tells you something, you will need to ask a few questions to get at the story, rather than just believing them and sending an officer.
- Ability to pass a POLICE background check. Yes, lots of dispatchers go through the same process. You will have access to a LOT of information. So, this means your teachers, neighbors, and friends will all say good things about you. You have a good attendance record in school, you pay your bills, etc.
- Ability to let things roll. Things get a little heated sometimes, officers can get testy, etc. Nobody means anything by it. You can't get your feelings hurt because someone raised their voice or forgot to say "please."
- Willingness to help out. As a female dispatcher, depending on the size of the department, you may be called upon to help search female prisoners. The officer will be right there with you, so, you are safe.
- Willingness to work ANY shift, ANY days. It is a 24/7 operation.
- Good listening skills. Some agencies use a listening skills test. Google "listening skills test" there are lots of them out there.
Waitressing/bartending/etc could help with some of the skills.
I think common sense and maturity will be more important than any particular class. That being said, you may want to see if civilians are allowed to take the "crisis communication" class listed below. It's been years since I took any courses. If they say yes, you will want to ask how the test will be given. As an officer, I had to have the training dept give it to me. Perhaps now they do it on-line?
I know I haven't directly answered your question, but, I hope I have given you some things to think about. Also, I don't know how old you are. If you still have time before you finish HS, you may want to look at the police explorer program. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VnZKK2vHko If you are close to adulthood, in addition to ride-alongs, also check on the citizen police academy. This is from last year. . . https://elpasoheraldpost.com/eppd-texas-dps-announce-joint-citizen-academy/ All of this would give you a familiarization. The turnover rate in dispatch can be high - they will want to be sure that you know what you are getting into, and this is one way to show it!
Good luck!
Kim
Dana’s Answer
The only thing you really need to get started is a high school diploma or GED.
However, Kim made some good points in her response.
Being a dispatcher is not for everyone. As a former dispatcher, I can tell you that most of the calls you receive are routine, everyday calls. But occasionally, you will deal with real emergencies and you'll need to be able to handle those.
Each agency or department either has its own in-house training for dispatchers or they send their dispatchers to be trained. Either way, you are fully trained in everything you need to know (including how to handle certain calls, the lingo, etc) before you ever answer a call. After in-class training, the department will assign you a training officer and you'll work together with that person through on-the-job training. It's a process and can sometimes take up to a year before you are fully released on each stage of the job.
There are few things that Kim stated that I disagree with:
1. Skepticism is not part of the job. Most agencies have protocols for certain types of calls and you'll be required to follow that protocol and ask the specific questions that the protocol dictates. And usually, as a rule in law enforcement, if someone requests an officer, you send an officer, regardless of how you feel about the situation.
2. Willingness to help out. While I agree that, in general, being willing to help out is essential in any field and any job, most departments don't call for their dispatchers to also serve as corrections officers. This may be true in some very small departments, but not in medium to large agencies. And if this is the case, the agency should provide extra training on correctional activities. And if they don't, you should not apply there.
I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have about this field.