Police Officer Preparation & Law Enforcement Resource - Archive

Why does an officer have to get sent to every call that comes in?

For example, a loose dog call. Even if the dog isn't hurting anybody, they still send the police. Once PD arrives, they then call animal control or the humane society. Wouldn't it make more sense for the dispatcher to call them first, I mean what can an officer do about a dog laying in the front yard, or a stray cat under the porch, etc.

Animal Control still needs to come out AND they are delayed because dispatch won't send them until PD tells them to, AND a patrol car is taken off the road.

Does anyone know why they do this?

We do it because the higher-ups tell us that's how we're supposed to do it. :D I've learned that it's pointless to question them, as they get paid more than I do.

Realistically, I have no clue why it's set up that way, seems kinda silly to me too. My guess would be that (in this particular city,) they don't want to pay animal control overtime to drive around everytime someone says there is a dog running loose. Our animal control won't even respond after-hours unless the animal is injured or aggressive to people. *shrug* How's it go? "Ours is not to question why"?

We send an officer to most calls for the same reason. That's what we were told to do. You'd probably be suprised at the amount of calls that aren't dispatched because there isn't a reason to have an officer respond to them; We dispatch probably only about 60-70 percent of the calls that come into the PD. The rest we deal with over the phone or direct them to the appropriate resource.

Has anyone else noticed that people call the police for the simplest things? Never have figured that out.

"Someone cut me off at easy st and park ave!" 'Ok, which way did the car go, and what was it?' "I don't know, I didn't see which way it went, and it was blue."
'Did you get a tag number?'
"No, how could I get a tag number?! They cut me off!"
'Ok, We'll take care of it. Thank you for calling'.

That's an example of a call that isn't going to be dispatched. There's not enough information to dispatch it, and it's unlikely that even if the officer was to see the right blue car that it would do something illegal in front of him.

I feel that I'm rambling. I'm done now. :) The simple answer is we do it because the boss tells us to.

Doesn't happen that way here.

I am currently working in our departments call centre.

My job is to prevent unnecessary jobs being put on so that patrols aren't wasting time on rubbish.

I assess wether or not a patrol is required and if they are not, call the relevant agency to handle or handle the job myself.

A lot of things people ring about are either rubbish (like the last call I had where an electricity company cut down a pole and damamged a ladies bushes and she wanted them charged with property damage and littering:rolleyes:) or they are simply taking a report over the phone as in a stolen car being reported. There is no need to send a patrol to tell the caller that "Yes, your car is definately not there."

As for in your area and your departments protocols, I can not comment.

[QUOTE=WhiteLite;834386]
Has anyone else noticed that people call the police for the simplest things? Never have figured that out. [QUOTE]

I was on a ride-along during a heavy raining period, and a women called and said "my basement is flooding, what do I do?" The officer responded politely but then when he hung up the phone, he said "What the hell is wrong with people, if your basement is flooding a)don't go into the basement and b)get out of the house, what am I supposed to do I am a COP not a flood management specliaist."

Some things are just weird. In many places, including mine, FD will have to roll an engine just for a fire hydrant spraying or broken water line, not the water or street department.

Someone in the city council proposes a standard procedure, they vote it in, and there's nothing an officer can do about it.

We dont respond to 100% of calls. There are a lot of calls we will just clear out as "Unfounded." For instance there was a call where a caller said a flagger was not being visible enough. An officer just cleared this out as unfounded. Or if a call comes in saying someone saw a possible DUI heading a certain direction on a certain street 15 minutes ago and they dont have a tag and are not following we may just clear it out as "Unfounded/ Unable to Locate."

Weirdest call of the week -

a lady called me today telling me that on occasion there is a car that is parked down the street. She really liked the electric blue colour and wanted to know, if she gave me the registration number, could I tell her exactly what colour it was.

In the end I advised her to put a card under the windscreen and let the owner contact her. Our system told me the colour was blue!!

:confused::eek::rolleyes::p;)

The last time I worked we got a call from someone who thought it was suspicious that they could not reach anyone at a business. At 0100. That's 1:00 AM for the civvies. Somebody called police so we went. My radio traffic to dispatch was as follows after I arrived: "As I suspected the business is closed. Please advise the complainant they may have better luck reaching people here during business hours."

If these calls came in 911, I would seriously consider writing tickets for Misuse of 911. There is no way a Reasonable Person would consider any of these emergencies.

"Someone cut me off at easy st and park ave!" 'Ok, which way did the car go, and what was it?' "I don't know, I didn't see which way it went, and it was blue."
'Did you get a tag number?'
"No, how could I get a tag number?! They cut me off!"
'Ok, We'll take care of it. Thank you for calling'.

My County would go:

Dispatch Town of XXXXXXXXXXX Unit
PD Unit ###
Dispatch Easy Street and Park Ave, reckless driver, no further info.
Officer Tennnn Fouuuuur

Officer Ten-Eight Clear GOA

See my other post for more info.

"Someone cut me off at easy st and park ave!" 'Ok, which way did the car go, and what was it?' "I don't know, I didn't see which way it went, and it was blue."
'Did you get a tag number?'
"No, how could I get a tag number?! They cut me off!"
'Ok, We'll take care of it. Thank you for calling'.

My County would go:

Dispatch Town of XXXXXXXXXXX Unit
PD Unit ###
Dispatch Easy Street and Park Ave, reckless driver, no further info.
Officer Tennnn Fouuuuur

Officer Ten-Eight Clear GOA

See my other post for more info.

It'd be pointless for me to bother. All that would result in was me tying up the radio, and the officer calling in to ask why I gave him such a stupid call. :p Hence why I wouldn't bother giving it. If the time delay is less than 3 minutes, or if it's a DUI, I'll give it out either way. Every call is handled differently depending on the situation.

Our police chiefs have made it quite clear we are to dispatch on practically everything that comes in. Dispatchers don't make policy, the chiefs do. I can screen calls, but only to a very limited extent.

Why does an officer have to get sent to every call that comes in?

Because that's what they are paid to do.


For example, a loose dog call. Even if the dog isn't hurting anybody, they still send the police.

We don't. The Chief said we don't have to dispatch those.


Once PD arrives, they then call animal control or the humane society. Wouldn't it make more sense for the dispatcher to call them first,

Our ACO does not respond after hours unless requested by an officer.


I mean what can an officer do about a dog laying in the front yard, or a stray cat under the porch, etc.

Nothing if they are in their own yard.


Animal Control still needs to come out AND they are delayed because dispatch won't send them until PD tells them to, AND a patrol car is taken off the road.

If ACO was responding to every barking dog call they would never go off duty.


Does anyone know why they do this?

Because out Chiefs have told us to do it this way.

************************************************** ******

We had a lady call because a dog attacked her cat. We sent an officer and he wrote her a ticket for "animal at large" because her cat was in the dogs yard and she complained that the dog was supposed to be on a leash. The leash law in our community states "any animal outside the fenced yard of it's place of boarding/residence must be on a leash" her cat was in the dogs yard, she got the ticket and tried to fight it in court and lost.

Was this a call for animal control, yeah... BUT it was three in the morning on a holiday weekend and the only thing the ACO would have done was told the officer to cite her for her cat not being on a leash. So, why wake her up for that?

Thank you.

I am still a little confused because:

1. These calls are during business hours, not after hours
2. Our 911 Center does not follow any of the other SOP's consistently, so it is unusual they follow this one.

Just as a side note, the police chiefs have no say in 911. The center is run by a civilian manager from the Department of Emergency Services, a county agency. In fact, if the chiefs had it their way, 911 would be shut down, and all calls rerouted to either the SO or the local police station.

Thank you.

I am still a little confused because:

1. These calls are during business hours, not after hours
2. Our 911 Center does not follow any of the other SOP's consistently, so it is unusual they follow this one.

Just as a side note, the police chiefs have no say in 911. The center is run by a civilian manager from the Department of Emergency Services, a county agency. In fact, if the chiefs had it their way, 911 would be shut down, and all calls rerouted to either the SO or the local police station.

Don't know what to tell ya about that... We only take calls after-hours for AC and Public Works. During business hours people just call AC directly and usually get the answering machine. :p

Our 911 center is pretty identical. All agencies are separate, 911 being one of them. Run by a civilian manager, with a civilian board of directors. I'm not positive that our 911 actually has SOPs, but if they do, I've not seen evidence of it. :D Your misery is shared by many, I assure you.

Our policy states that we will respond to every call that comes in. It irritates the hell out of me at times, but whatever. Sometimes it amuses me.

Why does an officer have to get sent to every call that comes in?

For example, a loose dog call. Even if the dog isn't hurting anybody, they still send the police. Once PD arrives, they then call animal control or the humane society. Wouldn't it make more sense for the dispatcher to call them first, I mean what can an officer do about a dog laying in the front yard, or a stray cat under the porch, etc.

Animal Control still needs to come out AND they are delayed because dispatch won't send them until PD tells them to, AND a patrol car is taken off the road.

Does anyone know why they do this?

I take plenty of calls that never get written.