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Main Page Sworn Dispatchers?
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: Mike0114

Has anyone else heard anything about sworn dispatchers? I don't mean PO's working the radio room, I mean professional dispatchers. I'm sure there aren't any in MA, but apparently it's becoming a trend in other parts of the country. Would there actually be any benefit to this? Dispatchers would no longer be just civilians, but probably still considered second class citizens... Right now I'm just sworn at, but I don't think that's the same thing....

Mike

Posted by: bluesamurai22

The authority needed to perform certain functions and the labor laws vary from state to state. Some dispatchers are sworn in various parts of the country so they can do certain law enforcement duties - like make arrests inside of police stations.

I imagine swearing them in might also give the hiring authority more power over them that they might not have over a civilian - like being able to order them to work an overtime shift.

Posted by: SPINMASS

I know Enviromental Law Enforcement dispatchers are sworn as deputy EPOS or something to that affect.

Posted by: MA218

In some of the departments ive been in / worked for, id be suprised if the dispatchers lasted long enough to get sworn.

2 cities come to mind right off the top of my head. One I used to work for. The Director was a PITA, and the BS passed on from the cops next door was enough to drive out 2 dispatchers per week.

I lasted 7 before I walked.

Posted by: Mike0114

Quote:

Originally Posted by MA218

In some of the departments ive been in / worked for, id be suprised if the dispatchers lasted long enough to get sworn.

2 cities come to mind right off the top of my head. One I used to work for. The Director was a PITA, and the BS passed on from the cops next door was enough to drive out 2 dispatchers per week.

I lasted 7 before I walked.

How do I say this, I think I know a department like that... Same BS pretty much everywhere. I've got 6 years at my dept, and out of 28 spatchers, 15 are junior to me... Ithink part of it is perceived or actual poor treatment (guessing which would be above my paygrade), and part of it is people moving on to sworn positions.

-M

Posted by: MrJim911

It's definitely not becoming a trend because it has not been discussed in any Telecommunicator channels, and I'm in all of them.

For those departments, like mine, that put their Telecommunicators in the field of "public safety" employees as opposed to BS like secretarial, etc... Or even that might not matter as I'm not well versed in FLSA law, but we are already considered exempt and can easily be ordered in to cover OT. Being sworn has nothng to do with that. As a matter of fact someone got ordered to cover 8 hours this Sunday night... She has no choice but to come in.

Also, what kind of sworn are we talking about? PO's take an oath of office, I'm guessing sworn TC's take an oath of loyalty.

Not to start a new debate, but why is a TC making an arrest? Why wasn't PO called into perform this function? Why are they being pulled away form their primary duties of answering calls on phone or on radio to handle a walk in? They should be in a secure facility with no outside contact at all. The only contact we should have with a citizen is over a phone.

Oops, there I go making sense again...

Posted by: mikey742

Not to start a new debate, but why is a TC making an arrest? Why wasn't PO called into perform this function? Why are they being pulled away form their primary duties of answering calls on phone or on radio to handle a walk in? They should be in a secure facility with no outside contact at all. The only contact we should have with a citizen is over a phone.

Oops, there I go making sense again...[/quote]

MrJim
Can you come and work for me Department I think you could improve a lot around here.

Posted by: RPD931

I know Sherborn PD has "Desk Officers". They are dispatchers that are sworn specials. They also get to cover open shifts when available and details.

Or at least thats how it was just a couple years ago...

Posted by: csauce777

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPD931

I know Sherborn PD has "Desk Officers". They are dispatchers that are sworn specials. They also get to cover open shifts when available and details.

Or at least thats how it was just a couple years ago...

I know Wellfleet PD has year round FT dispatchers that also are specials and work details and shifts in the summer.

Posted by: Macop

I imagine swearing them in might also give the hiring authority more power over them that they might not have over a civilian - like being able to order them to work an overtime shift.

Why would that make a difference, a dispatcher can be ordered to work OT by the supervisor if the need arises, why would it matter if the person was sworn or not?

but why is a TC making an arrest? Why wasn't PO called into perform this function? Why are they being pulled away form their primary duties of answering calls on phone or on radio to handle a walk in

I would imagine in some cases that would not be pratical, and being a sworn TC may have some type of advantage, kinda like saying I'd rather have it and not need as opposed to needing it and not having it.

Posted by: MrJim911

That's my point, practicality dictates that officers handle these things, not Telecommunicators. I should not have to deal with anyone from the outside unless it's over a phone.

I know there are agencies that do not operate that way because of a poor administration or lack of proper planning, but that doesn't make it right. I have no need or desire to take an oath.

Posted by: improzak

Would being sworn give dispatchers the ability to work road jobs?

Posted by: texdep

I find it interesting how certain words take on such extra meanings.

Being "sworn" actually means that the individual has taken an oath to perform the duties of the office or position.

Being sworn does not confer any rights of arrest. Selectmen are sworn into office, as are firefighters, or tax assessors among others, none of whom can make arrests.

Legally taking an oath to perform the duties of the office makes failing to perform a prosecutable offense rather than just a reason for dismissal.

In Texas many departments had sworn dispatchers which was viewed as necessary due to the requirement of confidentiality placed on dispatchers having access to the various criminal justice data bases.

Posted by: SPINMASS

Quote:

Being "sworn" actually means that the individual has taken an oath to perform the duties of the office or position.

Being sworn does not confer any rights of arrest. Selectmen are sworn into office, as are firefighters, or tax assessors among others, none of whom can make arrests.

That makes sense. However I believe the thread was referring more to dispatchers with arrest powers.

Posted by: texdep

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPINMASS

That makes sense. However I believe the thread was referring more to dispatchers with arrest powers.

That was the point of my post. Read the the post that started this thread. It was simply asking if anyone had heard of sworn dispatchers and what would be the value if a dispatcher was sworn. Immediately the replies went to "desk officers, in house arrests, working details, etc.

I would say the benefit would be that being sworn would imply a higher level of responsibility, therefore a good union should be able to get a wage increase when the change occurred.

Posted by: Irish Wampanoag

Once you take a public position (Police or Fire dispatcher) are you not sworn right away and expected to perform duties as well as the expectation the information gathered or obtained by your public position is confidential. Sounds redundant to me?

Posted by: texdep

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Wampanoag

Once you take a public position (Police or Fire dispatcher) are you not sworn right away and expected to perform duties as well as the expectation the information gathered or obtained by your public position is confidential. Sounds redundant to me?

Actually not. I'm not aware of that many agencies in MA if any where the dispatchers are raising their right hands and taking an official oath in order to start the job. Maybe some of the dispatchers on the board can enlighten me.

Posted by: RPD931

In smaller towns, it would make sense to have sworn, appointed, empowered - whatever the heck you want to call it - in order to be able to handle certain situations allowing PO's to stay on the road. Even in bigger PD's where they have more than one dispatcher on duty at a time, Sworn dispatchers could handle the various walk in issues such as taking basic reports or arresting someone - at least detain them until the PO gets in. I can see many uses for having them sworn. And by being sworn, yet stuck at dispatch, you don't have to worry about them "Hunting" for people outside of the building.

Posted by: mtc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Wampanoag

Nope - been sworn at, never sworn in.

Posted by: firefighter39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike0114

Has anyone else heard anything about sworn dispatchers? I don't mean PO's working the radio room, I mean professional dispatchers. I'm sure there aren't any in MA, but apparently it's becoming a trend in other parts of the country. Would there actually be any benefit to this? Dispatchers would no longer be just civilians, but probably still considered second class citizens... Right now I'm just sworn at, but I don't think that's the same thing....

Mike

Professional dispatchers, now there is an oxymoron - let's get rid of the civilian - cops should dispatch for cops, firefighters should dispatch for fire - unless you have been on the road you will never understand what is going on out there. Civilian dispatcher get our people hurt because of their lack of understanding of both jobs.

Look at it this way, in most dept. a police officer and/or firefighter is usually allowed to work in the disp - BUT disp are never allowed on the front lines! The really good dispatchers never stay, they become full-time cops or firefighters

Posted by: improzak

Wow, that was ignorant. There are too many posts in this forum that show why your thoughts are incorrect. Not to mention I am sure there are others that will want to point out the faults in your thinking.

Posted by: mtc

Quote:

Originally Posted by improzak

Wow, that was ignorant. There are too many posts in this forum that show why your thoughts are incorrect. Not to mention I am sure there are others that will want to point out the faults in your thinking.

Don't sweat it kid - ff apparently hasn't had the benefit of dealing with a dispatcher that knows their job, place, and what they are doing.

Posted by: MrJim911

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefighter39

Wow. I've been on the internet for a long time serving many different roles on Telecommunicator forums, Police forums, Firefighter forums, etc... and that is probably one of the most blatantly ignorant blanket statements I've ever read. I don't even know where to begin...

First, list the source of where you found the alleged fact that "most dept. a police officer and/or firefighter is usually allowed to work in the disp". I'll go out on a limb and say there is no such source, as you made it up as you typed your poor attempt and disparaging Telecommunicators. I would guess that the exact opposite is true.

Secondly, 911 Telecommunucator is a profession in and of itself, and is and should be treated as such. Police officers should be out being police officers and firefighters should be out firefighting. My training and experience have taught me what my officers need and expect, and they get it every time; just as they know how to interact with me on the radio and phone. I didn't and don't need to "work the streets" to know these things, and they didn't need to work my profession to learn their part.

Additionally, if someone gets hurt because of Telecommunicator error, it could be due to several reasons such as a lack of proper training or lack of any SOP's to guide their actions. Being a "civilian" has nothing to do with it as that would indicate that a sworn officer has never been mistakenly responsible for the injury or death of another sworn officer.

If your one of those bitter and depressed PO's or FF's that work for an agency that does not properly hire, properly train or properly fund your dispatch center and therefore get crappy employees dispatching for you, you can bitch and moan and try to spread falsehoods all you want on the internet in your anonymous capacity, but I would suggest getting away from your computer and going to attempt a change. And if your admin is to stupid, too blind or indifferent to see a problem then go find a better place to work.

Posted by: SheriffDspatchr

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefighter39

Ok Mr. tell me how much telecommunications and two-way radio training YOU received at the State Fire Academy . . . . . please elaborate in hours,minutes and seconds . . . . . .lets look at it this way, the received working in fire alarm are "allowed" to be there because their 1) drunks that lost their license 2) being punished 3) low man in senority 4) last few years before retirement and dont want to do too much on an engine company.

Posted by: firefighter39

Quote:

Originally Posted by SheriffDspatchr

Thank you for proving my point...anyone can do your job, even drunks!!

Posted by: improzak

Quote:

Originally Posted by firefighter39

Thank you for proving my point...anyone can do your job, even drunks!!

An interesting fact...back in the early 1900's some volunteer fire fighters were "payed" with beer...are you drunk right now?

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