Newspaper Clipping - Newspaper Clipping Scan - Eagan PD Dispatchers - 4/19/2003 7nh
:NNW
aluan www.thisweek-online.com
i
Unsung heroes answer the
call
Behind the scenes, Eagan dispatchers play a vital role in protecting citizens
by Erin Johnson
THISWEEK NEWSPAPERS
They don't have the flashy
badges, cool cars or sirens. The
public rarely sees them in action.
They may work behind the
scenes, but without them, police -
departments could not function. z` .
They are 911 dispatchers,and .
they are a lifeline for citizens and
.> ,
a guide for officers in emergency
situations.
At any given time,dispatchers
at the Eagan Police Department
have to play the role of counselor,
consoler,comforter or cool-head-
ed professional. mom
During a typical day,they may
play all of these roles.
With an average of 135 calls
daily, Eagan dispatchers handle �.
calls on everything from suicides
and homicides to sick raccoons '
and barking dogs. Photo Uy Erin Johnson
But despite the fact that the Dawn Anderson,a 911 dispatcher for the city of Eagan,takes a call in the city's newly remod-
second week in April each year is eled communication center.
designated National Public often goes unrecognized. Department, said he is always "I look at dispatch as being
Safety Telecommunications Troy Ruby, dispatch supervi- impressed with the service dis- between the need for help and
Week, the work of dispatchers sor for the Eagan Police patchers provide. See Dispatch, 6A
6A April 19,2003 THISWEEK EG ---
Dispatch/from IA
help arriving," he said. "I watch r ?:
these people every day and am F`
quite often amazed at the quality
of work they do.We make a dif-
ference every day, there's no _
doubt about it:'
Eagan has five full-time and V.
z
four part-time dispatchers, with
two more currentlyin training r
b'
The staff has to cover an opera-
tion that runs 24 hours a day,365 z
days a year, with shifts typically
running 10 hours.
e
a
In addition,Eagan dispatchers s
answer all calls from the city of
Rosemount,which does not have rQ
its own dispatch center. Eagan is - M~
also designated as a back-up sys-
tem for Dakota County in case
that system goes down.
Last fall, Eagan's dispatchh
communication center was total-
a. -
:
ly renovated and now features ::
state-of-the-art technology to
improve cominunication between
the public and dispatchers as well
as dispatchers and officers. Photo byErin Johnson
Eagan's state-of-the-art communication center allows dispatchers, like Chris Meade, to do
A typical day everything by computer.
Dawn Anderson, a 911 dis-
patcher for the Eagan Police ers run license plate information cern to. That helps cement the who just leave their cell phone
Department,has seen a lot in her and driver's license information. bond.They're very valued here" lying around, and they either set
18 years on the job. They then advise officers if the Valued, he said, but probably their purse on it,their dog sits on
"There is no typical day. No information is valid or notify not always given the acknowl- it or they let their kids play with
two days are the same,"Anderson them if there is a warrant out for edgement they deserve. it:'
said. "That's part of the fun of the owner of the vehicle. "Often the dispatchers can be When any button on a cell
this job. You work abnormal Trust a forgotten part of it, when in phone is pressed for any amount
hours,holidays,weekends." Capt.Rick Swanson,who has reality they're the first person tak- of time, she said, the phone will
Dispatchers' jobs are full of been with the Eagan Police ing that call,"he said. automatically dial 911.
ups and downs,but they seem to Department since 1975, said the And they work well under "Now you have an open 911
thrive on the unpredictability and relationship between officers and Pressure,he said. line with somebody who acciden-
challenges thrown at them every dispatchers is very unique. He points to last summer, tally pressed the button and their
« when staffed,dispatchers were under- phone is just sitting there," she
day. The dispatchers know how their new communica- said. "And you can hear them
"You have no idea when you the officers work and what type
tions center wasn't complete and talking, but you can't get their
pick up that phone call what's on of information they're looking for
the other end. That's the chal- depending on the call,"he said."I. they were working on "bare- attention"
lenge," she said. "Do you have think that leads to a better level of j bones"equipment. When they do eventually get a
the hysterical caller screaming at service to the citizens we serve" "Their attitude was positive hold of the cell phone owner,she
you for help and you have no idea A good working relationship every step of the way.There was said, they advise them to either
what they need help for, or is it is important, he said, because absolutely no disruption of any turn off their phone or keep it in a .
the lady that just wants to tell you officers need to trust the dispatch- service whatsoever," he said. safe place. Locking a keypad
the dog next door is barking ers in sometimes touchy situa- "They did an absolutely outstand- does not help, she said, which is
again?" tions. ing job." why she "highly recommends"
When dispatchers receive a "When that officer is going Wrong Number flip Phones.
call, it is their job to determine into this situation, they have to Being a 911 dispatcher means "We try to educate the public
where the call is coming from trust and rely on the information dealing with a lot of misdialed as much as we can about it,
and which officer to send. They the dispatcher is giving them,"he numbers. because a lot of people just don't
Th
also send an ambulance or page said. " e officers' lives are on "We have a lot of callers call- realize it,"she said.
the fire department if necessary. the line, and they have to have ing us when they're trying to dial Even when someone is inten-
P tionally dialing 911,said Kathryn
"If it's an in progress call,we faith in that dispatcher." long distance or trying to dial Falk,an Eagan dispatcher with 23
keep the caller on the line,getting In Eagan,he said,the trust and 411, or just hoping that we will
updated information to keep faith are there. just be 411 for them,"Anderson years of experience,they may not
updating the officers,especially if "The dispatchers ride with the said,laughing. realize they will be greeted ini-
tiallythere are safetyconcerns," she officers by silence.
said. periodically, he said. But their biggest problem is "Sometimes the phone does-
"They know the city, they know cell phones,she said. n't actually ring, so some people
During traffic stops,dispatch- the areas they're sending the offi- We have numerous people
itch/from 6A or injured,"she said. "Because Falk said she, too, still
you're doing everything you loves her job.
We had four dispatchers can to get them help, and you "I work for a really good
•e and we were answer- may not be able to because of department. They are a good
call a minute. It was like the situation, and there's noth- group of people all the way
-om Friday night straight ing you can do, and you're from the very top down," she
;h to Monday. feeling helpless" said. "This department really
at that's the kind of stuff But for every tragedy, there cares about its people."
you're there for the are many success stories. Like While Falk admits she has
e, you're there to help the rape victim who called in gotten burned out at times, she
you're doing everything after she had been attacked always bounces back.
an. It's worth it. That's and was able to describe her "You work a lot of hours,
you kind of live for attacker. you're human, you get tired.
rimes" "We got the information But you learn how to deal with
h calls out and caught the guy," she it," she said. "But we've had a
igdal callers are some of said. "It was great team work, lot of support from our admin-
oughest to deal with, and here we've stopped one istration here."
rson said. thing. Stress
ou're their only connec- Loving the job Stress comes with the terri-
o reality at that moment. Anderson said she had a tory, Anderson said.
of them are hanging on Monday through Friday, 9-to- Dispatchers work long hours
very thin string, you're 5 job in insurance after col- handling calls involving life-
to get them help and lege, and she knew it wasn't threatening emergencies, and
L do anything you can," for her. the job can be tough on fami-
tid. And after 18 years, lies. Also, dispatchers don't
iderson remembers one Anderson said she hasn't yet always know how a case they
'rom a woman who had burned out. handled is resolved,which can
d herself in her bedroom "There are days when you be stressful, she said.
her husband and kids in do get tired,but I still just love "We sometimes don't know
text room, threatening the job. And part of it is the how our calls end. We do get
le. Anderson had no idea people I work with," she said. closure on some calls, but not
she was calling from. "Our group is always support- every one," she said. "Some
was getting someone to ive of each other. We're people need that closure, and
the line for me," she always there when the chips that's where they find the
"I just kept talking to her are down." stress levels go up."
minutes until we could You have to love this job to Some just can't handle the
-Ir some help." do it, she said. pressure of the job, she said.
spatchers are not able to "Otherwise you wouldn't In fact, she cites a statistic that
all callers, however, and be coming in," she said. "This the average dispatcher now
have even died while on is not a job where you come in lasts 4.5 years before burnout.
hone talking to them. in the morning and say, `This "So Eagan has been pretty
it the toughest calls of all is a job. I get a paycheck.'You lucky," she said. "Either that
dispatcher, she said, are have to want to help the peo- or we're all just crazy."
reporting an officer ple, you have to want to have
to work hard for the people on Erin Johnson is at
'our hardest call ever is the street, or it's a job you e a g a n.t h i s w e e k@ e c m-
your officer is in trouble should not be in." inc.com.