Sheriff: Appreciating our 911 dispatchers

As I stated in last week’s article, April is designated as an awareness month for various issues and topics. In the first week, I covered Underage Alcohol Awareness, last week was Sexual Assault Awareness, and this week I would like to cover Public Safety Tele Communicator Appreciation. Another common name for this highly underappreciated field of community service is public safety dispatcher. 

Typically, when we see the various roles of law enforcement, fire or rescue played out in our popular culture through books, television or movies, the role of public safety dispatcher is often either minimized or neglected altogether. This is unfortunate as they are in fact an essential role in the entire process. No law enforcement officer arrives at the scene of a crime, nor does any fire truck respond to a structure fire without first being dispatched. No emergency medical staff are able to render care without first being provided both the location as well as the critical patient information which will be necessary for effective treatment.

For those who have not had the privilege of seeing these men and women in action, it is truly amazing to see the level of multitasking and razor focus which they must maintain to carry out the duties required with each and every call for service. In their hands rests the responsibility of obtaining vital information, which is not only critical in providing service those in need but also to provide situational awareness for our officers responding to calls. Throughout the past few years, dispatchers have made the difference in everything from coaching members of our community through the proper performance of CPR to talking an individual in mental health crisis out of taking their own lives.

Here in Kewaunee County, we task these men and women one step further by requiring them to act as jailers in addition to their role as dispatchers. While this has been possible through the quality of staff and the level of training that they receive, it is unique. In most counties, there are distinct job duties that separate dispatchers from jailers because of the increased complexity of both roles. It is not uncommon for a single deputy to handle a call which may involve not only multiple 911 lines ringing, but then the subsequent dispatching of multiple fire departments for a structure fire, or multiple rescue units for a crash. This all while trying to keep the callers who many times are highly excited calm so that the proper information can be obtained and the appropriate services sent.

To those of us who rely on the dispatcher each and every day, we consider them just as much a member of our law enforcement team as we would a patrol deputy, investigator or school liaison officer. Their contributions and efforts make it possible for us to enjoy the quality of life we sometimes take for granted. It is fitting and right that we take a moment to thank them and I would invite members of our community to take the time to give a call not because you are in need, but rather just to say thank you! Just make sure you use the nonemergency line of 388-7108.

Matt Joski is the Kewaunee County sheriff.

This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Sheriff: Appreciating our 911 dispatchers