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Posted by: MCOA41

Here is a poll. A friend of mine tells me she has to enter all there calls directly inbto the CAD. No pen and paper. SO lets ee who else has to.

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Posted by: Gil

APD does not require proficient typing skills (thank god I never would have been hired as a dispatcher if they did) and thus many if not all of the dispatchers usually write the info down on scrap paper then enter it into the cad and discard the paper at the end of shift.

The cad system itself also comes into play, many of you have already seen my rants on the QED cad system. A more user friendly cad maybe windows based would make it easier to enter the info directly into cad provided the software and system was setup correctly to make this a more feasible idea.

I don't see how you can have a completely paperless dispatch much of the information you receive as a call taker and dispatcher is pertinent to the call but may not have a field in the cad system for the entry.

Running WMS and license checks: it's easier to jot it down, run it through leaps etc then enter the correct information into the cad.

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Posted by: COLE

We do a little of each, there is no S.O.P. that says we have to do it one way or another. Depends on how slow the computer is running that night. I prefer to enter the call directly into C.A.D. I feel that it works better for me. The other dispatcher that works the same shift as me does everything on paper before he enters it into C.A.D.

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Posted by: EsxPD319

Let's see,

Marblehead it doesn't matter some enter it directly and some use paper first..

In Essex, paper is all we have...We still fill out "call cards" then enter them into a "data base" (not a CAD)

Gordon Conwell I don't have a dispatcher, 911 calls come from Hamilton PD and service calls via pager...

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Posted by: MrJim911

No policy here either, but everyone, including myself, types it into the CAD as we hear it. Writing it down first is only delaying the process in my opinion. I understand though if your CAD system is crap or you don't have a CAD system. We do have 1 older employee going into his 33rd year of dispatching who tends to write down alot of stuff... We do have pen and papaer on our desks for miscellaneous notes or in case we run out of room in our ticket. We can then pull up another screen and add those notes as additional comments to the call.

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Posted by: Crvtte65

I misread the answers so pretend one YES is actually a NO

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Posted by: Mikey682

At one agency I work for PT the Director is adamant about "not writing it down! it MUST be typed into the CAD as it happens" ya, F*%K that. Its impossible unless you have 3 hands...in these cases you answer "yes sir..of course sir..." and then go back to doing it the way it works..jot it down and then enter it when you have a free minute.

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Posted by: MrJim911

Why can't you type it in as you hear it? You make it sound like it's impossible.

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Posted by: Mikey682

It can be done, as long as thats the only thing going on at the moment, but when you have another phone ringing, people walking into the station, or its a flat out shitstorm on the other end of the line, I find it easier to jot down the essential info I'm going to relay to the cars, then enter in a good looking narrative into the CAD when things calm down.

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Posted by: MrJim911

See, I prefer to type when it's total chaos. I type much faster then I can write. (Not to mention it's legible as opposed to my handwriting) And If I can dedicate my 2 hands to typing while listening to the caller, it's that much faster I can get the next incoming line that's ringing. But in this case, there isn't a right and wrong as long as things are done as fast and as accurate as possible.

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Posted by: Opie

We use IMC and I find it's a lot easier and faster to write things down first before you enter it into the system. It also makes things easier to refer to a piece of paper for any ?s to previous calls that you've had in that shift.

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Posted by: EsxPD319

Just to add to this topic!! I'm sure it depends on the CAD system your using. I have seen some that are extemely user friendly and it allows you speedy entry, others I have seen are very hard to work with and will actually be slow.... Just my bits..



ED

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Posted by: MCOA41

I also think it depends on the set up you have in your center.

There are still alot of centers in MA that have just one dispatcher taking all calls and dispatching for police, fire, ems, dpw and so on, plus dealing with walk-ins. That can make it harder to type directly into the CAD.

Places like Springfield where they have 4-5 call takers and 2 dispatchers and they ONLY take police calls it is easier for the call takers to type it into the CAD.

Either way with some proper training, typing courses (paid for by the dept) and patients I think typing directly into the CAD can be done.

I also like the notes, I can refer to them much quicker. I keep my notes for 3 years then they are used to help me start a romantic fire in my fire place nfire: . This has been great because I have had questions asked a day or two later and I just flip through and there is the info they are looking for.

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Posted by: tomahawk

Everyone here (combined Police/Fire/EMS, plus lobby traffic) scribbles info on a piece of paper, and starts their CAD entry right after. We are not mandated to do it one way or another, as long as all of the incidents make it into Pamet with unit dispatched/arrived/etc. times as close to exact as possible. I usually start my incident, dispatch cars, and fill in the blanks as I have time.

-Mike

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Posted by: cherylwithers

We don't have a policy, but we usually write the info down then type it in.

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Posted by: kjharri911

No policy here, seems everyone does it their own way, end result it all goes into cad. Unit arrival times and what not are all real time however.

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Posted by: LKat20

I usually write it down first...that way if I have to look up the info in any of our other in-house around the office or run parties I can pick it up and take it with me. There is no rule about it...it is basically preference. I also like writing it down in case our computer gets shady and mysteriously deletes something

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Posted by: hunter61

it doesn't have to be entered immediately, i write it down first on paper then create my incident.

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Posted by: NBPD

Down here there is no policy either we do it both ways,either paper first or enter it as the caller is on the line its almost about the same unless you are getting a novel story,then i'd go with the paper also,other then that i just type as they say.

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Posted by: 82PSTSB

The same as everyone else, it doesn't matter here either. Sometimes I do it as I hear it and sometimes I jot it down on paper then enter it. Both are good ways and both are easy enough, just depends on what else is going on at the time.

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Posted by: Mortal knight

the few times I dispatched I jot down notes on papper , then enter in the CAD. On the street I like the CAD/ QED and perfer to enter my own Self Initiated calls in the CAD and then tell dispatch where I am. My only complaint is the crusier laptops are too slow for doing reports, but good for everything else.
We still do a few papper reports (Crash, and Tows)

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Posted by: LEOLounge.com

My agency requires everything to be entered into the CAD, real-time. The dispatch, enroute, arrival, and call cleared times are all real-time. We also have everything recorded, even a key-logger. They don't mess around....

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Posted by: LA Copper

We are the same as LEOLounge. All calls are entered into the CAD as they come in. Once they are entered and assigned, the 911 dispatcher goes onto the next call. On busy nights (or days), there just isn't enough time to write the calls down, dispatch them, and then type them in. I guess it pays to be a quick typist.

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Posted by: Curious EMT

For me, it depends. On a car stop, I only write the plate on paper, then immediately open an "officer initiated" card, type in location, turn to CJIS and q2-one it, then enter plate into CAD (to check for prior in-town contact. )
For 911 calls, I imediatetly open a "new call" card when 911 rings with left hand as i reach for PSAP with the right (to get the time of call proper). If I can, I type directly, if not, Ill handwrite. I try to get as much into CAD ASAP, as my writing is horible, and memory is even worse

We each have our own notebooks we leave locked up in dispatch, and shred book 1 when we start book 3, that way we have a full book of hand notes on hand if needed.

If my dispatch center weren't a cluster-f*** of a desk with stuff all over the place, I'de try to do everything directly into the computer. Unfortunatetly, I think to make it really easy / proper, I'de need a headset for 911, and a foot lever for PTT for radio. Having to hold the 911 phone (or cramp my neck) and keep changing my position to PTT on the console requires me to roll the keyboard back under and roll my chair foward to reach the radio. Therefore on busy calls, I'm in and out and in and out and ahhhhhh stop the insanity! Oh yea, and my CJIS terminal? Forget it, feels like its in another county! And the priter? UGH! Even RI has everything on-screen!

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Posted by: PatrickMagnan

We have no policy. I write it on paper 1st then enter as soon as I dispatch the call as it goes. The update CAD does not allow you to go back and fix the time like the old cad did.

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Posted by: MrJim911

I'll never stop being amazed with the amount of great progress our profession makes all the time, but at the same time I read about CAD systems, etc... that are from the stone age. I can't imagine having, for a traffic stop, to enter the plate in mulitple locations or record a time separately. Our CAD does all of this automatically. Hopefully the DHS will get a big budget next year so they can spend more $$$ on the PSAPs nationwide through grants and other handouts.

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Posted by: NBPD

Personally we type it if its a priority one as it comes in over the phone, any additional notes can be used on the playback of the dictaphone, we try to get in as quick as posible now if a complainent calls up and says "I can't get out of my driveway there is a vech blocking me in", then we just get a paper jot down the address/vech type/color/reg/ and then enter it into cad. As long as the guys on the road run there plates we are all fine although most of the time this does not occur they will ask you to run is at well even though they can.

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Posted by: d35fcpdsgtemt

Well I have worked for a few different departments and they all have paper on the desk. When you have to read the call back to the officers it is hard to flop from screen to screen. I start by entering the call when on the phone, they go to paper. The time is more accurate that way, officer is also dispatched and updated along the way. I have used paper systems as well and it is sad that in this day and age all departments do not have a CAD system.

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Posted by: 10-3please

We have to enter everything into CAD immediately unless something is holding it up. If the calr didnt give a location and just started yelling out a tag then of course we write it, but we put it in the call as soon as we get the loc. So naturally, we keep a pen and paper at the console at all times. That should be common sense to do anyway though. And a word of advice: keep more than one pen on your console, too.

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Posted by: 10-3please

Our dept is really into having the correct time stamp, so since we enter calls immediately in CAD, they can't complain much. Besides, when it goes to court, they wont be able to blame their failing case on me and my delay because I type while I am talking to the calr. If I do write something down that should be time stamped, we have sychronized clocks on our consoles and I write that w/ whatever else I've written and I type in what time the person told me that info

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Posted by: Curious EMT

Pens oh yea, lots of pens... I have a tendancy to toss pens when i turn to the CJIS computer... i go through maybe a dozen a shift i swear! Somewhere under my console is a hundred pens...

Im getting better and better at entering directly into CAD, but on some calls, i need to use the pen. Half of my guys blurt out their traffic stops in a bad order, and therefore I have to go for the pen.... Also, on those suicide calls, shots fired, etc, i go right for the radio with a location, then grab the pen. IMC is not the friendliest for direct-cad entry.....

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Posted by: EOD1

i jot down basics, locaton time, plate # etc then start entering.

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Posted by: lpwpd722

We have IMC, I write my notes in a note book, legible probably only to me lol. I then enter them in.

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Posted by: Nightstalker

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpwpd722 We have IMC, I write my notes in a note book, legible probably only to me lol. I then enter them in.

same here!

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Posted by: RCPD33

Back when I dispatched, we had just converted to the CAD system (don't ask me which model or version, it was 1999). The lead dispatcher (who was a snotty know it all with no police experience whatsoever) always insisted we type the info into CAD as it came in. She would talk down to you and scold you if you wrote things down 1st. She even went so far as to try to ban pens from the dispatch area. Well on more than one occasion, I told her to go pound sand (putting it politely) or fire me. Then at the unemployment hearing, she could explain that I got fired for writing down information with a pen, to assure I got all the important information as an emergency dispatcher. Hey, if you have to write it down and enter it after, then so be it! If the information is not getting inputted into the CAD after, well then you have to rethink things a bit. Oh by the way, she was often caught writing things down and would respond with the ole "Do as I say, not as I do because I'm your Supervisor" response. People like that always seam to stick around though, because they kiss the Chief's ass enough and they like the strictlike attitude it seems. She still works there to this day. My opinion and this is how I manage nowadays, you can be strict and friendly, non condescending and non hypocritical all at once and effectively manage. You do what works for you!

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Posted by: MrJim911

Everyone at my agency enters directly into CAD. Speed is essential often and writing it down and then entering makes no sense and is a waste of time. This isn't to say pen and paper are never used, but entering the info directly into CAD is the correct, efficient way to do it.

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Posted by: 20MustangGT01

I work in a large city in the Commonwealth. Our CAD system integrates the ani/ali info from the 911 machines onto our screen at the touch of a button. So, I write down the call details on paper. I give out the call using the address that automatically came up on the cad and the paper with all my notes. I enter all of my hand written info into the cad AS SOON as the units acknowledge so they can see it on thier laptops.

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