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photo by Adam Koob
Adams County Sheriff’s Office dispatcher Danielle Jones takes two calls at once while taking care of paperwork during her 12-hour shift Friday.
Dispatchers man more than just phones
Published Saturday, April 18, 2009
NATCHEZ — They don’t carry guns, they’re not cuffing bad guys and they probably won’t ever be in a high-speed chase.
But the work done by the dispatchers at the Adams County Sheriff’s Office and the Natchez Police Department plays a critical role in law enforcement, Adams County Sheriff Angie Brown said.
“We could not work without them,” Brown said. “They are our ears. When they get a call, they need to let the deputy know what he’s going into.”
And this week both the ACSO and NPD were honoring their dispatchers and the critical roles they fill during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Like Brown, Natchez Police Chief Mike Mullins said the work done by the dispatchers is as important as the work done by the officers on the street.
“They are our lifeline out there,” Mullins said.
And being a lifeline requires a great deal of dedication, the ability to multi-task and the ability to work well under stress, Mullins said.
“This is not an easy job,” Mullins. “It’s not for everyone.”
In the NPD’s dispatch room, dispatcher Lillie Irving has been fielding calls for the police, fire department and local ambulances for the past 18 years.
“It gets stressful,” Irving said. “But you get so busy, you don’t realize how stressful it is until you finally slow down.”
In between sentences, Irving takes radio calls from officers, phone calls from city residents and jots down license plate numbers.
“It’s always busy — always,” she said.
Across town ASCO dispatcher Danielle Jones, like Irving, is fielding call after call while taking notes for records.
“This is a job you have to want to do,” Jones said. “And I love it. I love working with the public. But it gets intense, and you get stressed. But you have to just stay calm and always be patient.”
More than once in her 12-hour shift, Jones is talking on two phones at once.
Not all of the calls Jones gets are dire emergencies, but they all require patience.
Jones said one of the office’s most regular callers insists aliens are living in her attic and always wants a deputy dispatched to scare them away.
“It’s just part of the job,” Jones said, laughing.
“You just have to humor them sometimes.”
Comments
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on April 18, 2009 at 9:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OK...... jbird2017
Let's see what happens when you have to call 911 and one of these YOUNG LADIES that you don't want of give a little praise too. Will not answer your call, and that Fire Department, or ambulance or Police help that you need does not get the message. Or you are a victim of a crime, But because the lady at the other end of the phone will not take your call and you are mistaken as the one commiting the crime. Now the j in jbird2017 stands for JAIL. What would you say to that?
Posted by darylwalker (anonymous) on April 19, 2009 at 7:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I, personally, am grateful and would like to extend my respect to the guys and gals that take on the job of dispatching. I've witnessed many times how stressful the job can be and have relied on them to get me the information I need to do my job. I invite anyone that thinks it's an easy job to try to do it themselves one of these days.
Smoke breaks? Hell yeah. Everyone needs a break to releave tension.
Free "jail" lunches? Ever ate one? Yeah, that's some good eatin there.
No one bothered to mention the crappy pay they receive for doing the job.
I'd like to know what jbird does for a living so everyone can pick it apart and tell him how easy he has it. Unless you've experienced it and know what you're talking about, its best to keep your thoughts to yourself.
Posted by consider_reason (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 12:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They are like any other worker - some are great, some most certainly are not.
Some are simply DNA collectors, while others are there to give 100% to the public service they signed up for.
Praise those who don't spend most of their shift outside smoking and are the competent professionals they need to be.
Getting info from the phone to a responding officer is more complicated than it seems... those that do it well deserve "props".
Posted by An_Observer (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 6:31 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Please disregard jbird2017's (jail bird) comments. He is obviously a former inmate/trustee. As most criminals he appears to be disgruntled over his time spent at the County Jail. Or maybe he just has problems with women in an authoritative role. Either way, please pay no attention to his ignorant and inflammatory comments. This is what happens when the village idiot gets the internet.
Posted by darylwalker (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 7:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Yep. Misspelling a word sure shows your intelligence.
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Aw hogwash, "sittin" behind a desk "answerin" a phone, "relayin" calls to patrol cars, "sippin" free coffee, "goin" out the back door "smokin" cigarettes, just like almost all state or county jobs. Let's pay tribute to some folks that actually work for a "livin". If we're "gonna" pay tribute to them we may as well salute those middle eastern people that you get every time you call the phone company. Let's salute those girls that put in ten hours a day on their feet "waitin" tables or "workin" for minimum wage all day at a convenience store. Now THOSE girls WORK.
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It's true that I am married to a former dispatcher, but that has no bearing on the respect I have for them. I work 13 counties and rely on the dispatchers in each and every one of them including the many state dispatchers I also have dealings with.
I enjoyed ONE freebie jail breakfast of runny eggs and toast during Gustov when I was working 16 to 18 hour long shifts helping patrol Adams County. I really appreciate it.
I don't hide behind an alias like most. I try to be polite and avoid making personal attacks towards anyone on here, but some people tend to make that very hard to do.
Posted by kpage1 (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 8:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm sure dispatchers do work hard...it's too stressful for me, but the free meal does extend to every employee in the police department who wants it. What separates an inmates plate and the jailers plate is an extra piece of meat, more potatoes and a piece of cake...all on the taxpayer's dime. I thought they were supposed to eat free at Popeyes!
Posted by oldfashion (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 8:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I will say dealing with multi line phones is a pain in the butt. Doing paper work and trying to handle calls can be a headache. NO I do not work for the County of city jail.. I have never been arrested so i don't see what goes. But I will say my job!!! IS a real Job.. I do answer multi line phones dealing with MY customers... Any one that thinks phone lines are easy.. I would say yeah you try it for a week and see if you don't want to pull your hair out.. I will give thanks for the ladies that are sitting there all day and night wanting for calls to come in to transfer them to our police,, and imagine, with all the things going on in Natchez.. Bless their souls. Yall do a great Job.. Keep up the good work.
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 9:11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW, people do nothing but sit back and hate. If you want a free meal so badly, submit and application andget hired to a place that will give you a free lunch, otherwise, stop the hate! Why are some of you so disgruntled at the least little come up someone has? Dispatching is stressful, imagine getting that call of someone being beaten in a domestic violence situation. Imagine someone calls with a gun to their head, their children's head, etc. Folks, it's happening. Imagine a bomb threat being called in from some school, company? Just because things like this don't happen with frequency in your community, doesn't mean it can't and won't. I applaud the dispatchers for their efforts and at the very least, they are working and NOT leaching off society. UGH!!!!
Posted by Teach4Peace (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 9:12 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Should have been submit AN application.
Posted by Hahaha (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 12:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jbird2017,
As a former dispatcher with the NPD, I can truly say the job is very stressful. You never know what situation you are being faced with on the other end of the phone and it take a strong person to remain calm and get the person on the other end the assistance they need. Jbird2017, from reading your down right ignorant comment tells all reading your blog that you are a heartless, cheep and self centered person that cannot stand to for one minute give thanks to those behind the scene who are never recognized. Dispatching is the lifeline not only for the caller but for the officers as well. Hats off to all dispatchers because they are not given the credit or pay they deserve. And where did you get they receive free meals that is absolutely not true and if it were, they are very deserving of that and more.
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 1:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jazzybutterfly I am sorry but 000117 is not a department of corrections number.
To the Dispatchers I know what it is to answer 2 or 3 phones at one time. Keep paper work of more than one person at the same time.
My Hat is OFF TO YOU.
Thank you for the work that you do.
Oh jazzybuttlerfly and Jbird2017 I work for One of the best Imformation research companies in the US.
Posted by 000117 (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 1:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry about the misspell, ( information ).
Posted by An_Observer (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So jbird2017, what do my tax dollars go toward? Paying for YOUR social security, disability or welfare? By your way of thinking, dispatchers must be tax exempt. Or do their tax dollars go to the same people your tax dollars go to? In other words, their tax money buys their own lunch.
WOW, the village idiot strikes again!!!
Posted by MSviaTN (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 2:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW - ignorance is flowing abundantly today.
Posted by southernwoman (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope the day will come when high speed chases are outlawed.
Posted by allsmiles (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 4:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jbird, do you have proof that these dispatchers get free lunches? Put your money where your mouth is, and shut up. I know for an absolute fact that these dispatchers DO NOT get free lunches, so you can go complain elsewhere.
Hats off to all the dispatchers, they deserve a very BIG THANK YOU!
Posted by guy2co (anonymous) on April 20, 2009 at 8:22 p.m. (Suggest removal)
wow what a grumpy ass person. Jbird if you are this upset I will buy you lunch. You really need to seek out help with your anger issues. I have had to rely on the dispatchers a many of times and I think that they do a great job. Thank you dispatchers.
Posted by Hahaha (anonymous) on April 21, 2009 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Somebody please give jbird2017 a raise so he/she can shut up about lunch (elcheepo) So Sad!!!
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