Great idea

[AuntieDispatche]

Great idea, and needed. I hope it is used frequently. I have the utmost respect for what the officers, deputies, solders, and others do. I couldn't do it, that's why I run the radio and do what I can to keep you all as safe as I can.
It is my hope that other LEO will take advantage of this forum and exchange ideas, vent and learn.

Good luck and thanks.
Mary

[MacLeod]

Thanks Auntie. When we were batting around the ideas for this forum, some of us (me...guilty) only considered cops at first. Some of our more insightful moderators quickly corrected us, and set us straight.

With regard to dispatchers, I have to confess, I never considered what they did as stressful, until...I saw first hand how chaotic the job was one midnight shift. When thinking about our communicators, I often think about the news shows, or documentaries, that briefly focus in on the 911 Operator or dispatcher that had to talk the parent through CPR, or listen to officers taking fire, or even in LA during the N. Hollywood shoot-out, talking to the wounded officers, reassuring them that help was on the way.

My hats off to the lonesome unsung heros on the other side of the mic. Y'all earn your pay, and I'm glad to hear that departments and agencies are now including communicators in post critical incident debriefings/counseling.

Keep up the good work.

[AuntieDispatche]

Thank you for your kind words, I appreciate them.

Mary

[Duckie911]

Well MacLeod you make a valid point. I have been pretty lucky with "my officers" specially my county guys, who after we ended up in a CISD class together, understand a little better what us dispatchers go through behind that radio. I had no problem letting them know that it scares me to death sometimes being on the radio and not being able to SEE what's going on with them. That CISD class did wonders for all who were there.
It's very difficult to sit on a radio and listen to "one of your boys" yell in that radio and know that no matter how fast you get them back-up or a medic, it's never fast enough in your own mind.

[ATF SAC]

Smart outfit that recognized the scope of the stress in putting together that training. Enlightened to the point of model behavior if there are programs for spouses and training includes the secretaries and admins.