How much do you take?

[KYEMT325]

OK, here's a topic for discussion...how much do you take from someone before you disconnect the call? Do you let someone call you and curse you to the top of his lungs on the phone forever and never hang up on them, or do you warn them and then hang up if they continue, or do you simply nip it in the bud from the start???

The policy of supervisors before me (and thank God they were like this) was that if someone calls in a rage because of something (like they got a parking ticket or speeding ticket), screaming and cursing to the top of their lungs...we are to tell them that they need to state their problem and we'll try to help them, but we do not appreciate nor will we listen to foul language being directed at us. This usually gets a reply of F**K YOU, or something similar, then our guys are instructed to tell them, " I am now going to disconnect this call" and hang up. If they call back and start cursing as soon as they are hung up on, we will disconnect again. If it continues, an officer will go to their house and find out the nature of their disorderly conduct (a crime in Kentucky) and deal with them accordingly, including arrest if necessary.

Now, mind you, this has only happened to me like twice in 6 years, but I have had people who just could not control their anger at the police, and take it out on me. I will not stand for it. I ask them if they have an emergency or a situation that requires police, fire, or EMS assistance, and if they can't tell me yes to either of those, they are not talking to me just to be "venting". That's what psychologists get paid for :-) Ironically, in my past, my supervisors would be more than happy to take the phone from me if I told them I had an obscene caller, and they would curse them back before hanging up (I disagree with that, but that was then this is now).

Just wondering what other departments do about the "obscene and angry caller"?

[MrJim911]

We don't have a written policy about this, but the un-written rule is to do basically the same thing your agency does. Ask if they have a question. If they continue with their tirade advise the caller that if they do not state the nature of their problem the call will be disconnected. If they continue calling 911 then we also send the police to "talk" some sense into them. Abuse of the 911 system is a misdemeanor in Illinois.

[DispNowCopL8r]

KYEMT325,

We say the same thing basically word for word, it's interesting to know that on the other half of the county, they do the same thing...AND GET THE SAME THING WE DO! haha

[Lupey]

No written policy on it. Basically if there is not a problem that requires an officer sent then they get hung up on. No warning no nothing. I am quite fond of saying in a very nice polite voice "sir/maam listen to this" then click I hang up on them.

[MrJim911]

That's not fair! If we did that we'd probaby get fired. Once I would like to be able to do that.

This is going on my "What to do on my last day of work" list.

[DispNowCopL8r]

Continuing on that note...I love to be talking in the middle of my conversation with some a-hole...and accidentally hit the disc button...then since my mic is still on say on they must have hung up on me...(really i've only done that twice) no one knows who I work for right?

[kels]

I actually got to do this a couple of times.
Thanks to the Rev. Fred Phelps (SP?), Kansas
has a law reference harassment by phone/fax.
When I worked at the Univ we had a mental
student who was being a problem.
Since the dispatcher was gone, I was dispatching
when he called in. After about 2 minutes of his
tirade, I politely asked if he was familiar with harassment
by phone law. Then I politely explained it to him.
(Got to sound good on the recorded line.)
I then told him that if he continued with the
profane harassing phone call, I would be
forced to disconnect the phone call.
Boy was he suprised when I shut him off in
in mid sentence.
Even better the number #2 supervisor was standing behind
me listening. I asked if he had a problem with what I did.
He just grinned and walked out.
Another place I worked, the phone only recorded if the phone
was picked up. If you hit the speaker button, nothing was recorded. An unknown tired person politely asked the caller if
they could put them on hold for just a minute.
They hit hold, hung up the phone and hit speaker. After a few choice words to the idiot, the person on hold hung up. GRIN
It wasnt me, but in the famous words of Sgt Shultz, I KNOW NOTHING......GRIN

[Cyclone911]

What I've done in the past is kill them with kindness, lol, it actually works. The friendlier and nicer you are to them the worse they seem to get until they don't want to talk to you or finally get their head back on their shoulders. I don't take what they say personally and I haven't gotten into a screaming match with any of the callers yet. A problem I have run into about twice now is controlling my humor. Sometimes I just want to start laughing, which is probably just my cynicism shining through.
Another remedy that seems to work well is what we call "verbal judo". That's where the person is ranting and raving and you just have to cut them off and be very stern, loud, etc. What I have used in the past is the phrase of: " Look, you need to help me in order for me to help you, or else we're not accomplishing anything". That seems to work wonders sometimes.
:mad:

[MrJim911]

"Verbal judo" is probably what most people at my agency use the most. Getting the caller to see the logic of what your trying to do usually screws their head on a little tighter. I also tend to TRY not to yell. I'll keep talking at a low volume so they have to be quiet if they want to hear what I'm saying...works wonders sometimes...

[ladymoonlite]

I love the verbal judo techniques myself. I tell my TCs to not take anything they feel uncomfortable with, and to transfer the call to me if anyone is giving them trouble. My first instinct is the "kill them with kindness" theory, and it works I'd say 85% of the time. The other 15% of the time, I will warn them that the language or behavior is unnecessary and I will not tolerate it. I have only had to actually hang up on two or three people in my career, thank goodness.

[Basilbob]

I work on a University Campus. At times we may get a lot of these type calls. Most of them we will simply disconnect if not a emergency call.
How ever if we know where they are. We will try to keep online and send a officer and have a talk on the proper use of 911.

[GOLFMAN700]

At the department I work for we answer the 911 mobile lines, which are untraceable. I would say we get about 5 prank calls a week some of those from people who only know how say F*** and a couple of other choice words. I personally think they are very funny and I have been called everything in the book. I will normally stay on the line with them unless were busy.

[MrJim911]

When you say mobile lines are you referring to cell calls? If so don't you have phase 1 yet where you get the call back number on your ANI/ALI?

[GOLFMAN700]

Not in Wisconsin or atleast the department I work at.

[ladymoonlite]

FCC regs are going to require you to have the callback number soon! Since we've gotten it (at least on SOME cellular calls) I have seen a pretty significant drop in this sort of thing. Consider getting out word in your local paper that it's coming, maybe the morons (if they can read... perhaps you should go with the TV news instead) will get the idea and QUIT the stupidity!

[dawnangel]

We work for just PD and we get alot of hang up calls from mobile phones this is very annoying. Maybe having a copy of that to give to the Capt. just might get his attention to spend the money on this technology. We average 100- 250 prank calls from cells a day.

[MrJim911]

I'm not sure on the costs.
Every agency should be at phase I by now, unfortunately this is not the case. Try the two sites at the botom of this post and he can navigate through the different sections. If he has any questions he should call colleagues at nearby centers and ask them since tsome of them should have it. If he has never heard of this technology then you have some serious issues. Yikes! :eek:

http://www.nena.org/
http://www.apcointl.org/