Really rude dispatcher

[TylerEMT]

Last night I was behind the front desk where I work security. A guest came running into the lobby and yelled "Call 911 my sister was assaulted!" I asked him what room he was in and he barley answered me as he ran out the door (back to his room I presume). I called 911 and it went like this.

Dispatcher: Flagstaff 911 where is your emergency located?
Me: The super 8 on Kasper ave room 214.
Dispatcher: And what is the nature of your emergency?
Me: I had a guest come down to the lobby here and tell me his sister was assaulted.
Dispatcher: Is there any alcohol or weapons involved?
Me: I'm not sure.
Dispatcher: Whats the name of the person who rented the room?
Me: I tell her the name.
Dispatcher: What does the suspect look like?
Me: I'm not sure.
Dispatcher: Where is the suspect now?
Me: I don't know, the guy just ran into the lobby and left.
Dispatcher:Are there any injuries?
Me: I don't know.
Dispatcher: Well if you don't know these things why are you the one calling 911?
Me: The guy just asked me if I'd call for him.
Dispatcher: Next time have that person just call, there's no reason for us to be on the phone right now. I'll send an officer. Click!


I was really surprised the lady was so rude to me. Oh well...

[normal1]

roflmao - I'm not sugar crytal or special snow flake, but I had something similar happen to me years ago, I simply got her name, hung up and typed up a nice little e-mail. I was very happy to see her supervisor replied to my e-mail and cc'd the Chief of Operations (Who also later replied) saying she'd listened to the call and apologized for the dispatcher's behavior.

Everyone has the right to a bad day, but I don't know, for me that day was just too much. I don't expect them to be jolly 'ol pals, but I expect professionalism.

You have two choices, suck it up or be professional and type it up.

[Piggy]

I dispatched for a few years, I could tell horror stories about my co-workers. Rudeness, sleeping, forgetting about Officers on traffic stops. It's a low paid job and you don't have much of a choice about the people you hire, at least then.

I remember taking a call about 4 months into the job, a 911 call of an unknown accident. When asked if any injuries, the caller said it looked like they were okay as both drivers were still in the car. I sent Rescue anyway and got my butt chewed by a Senior Dispatcher for sending Rescue to an accident where it didn't appear they were injuries. While she was in the middle of chewing me out, the first Deputy on the scene called in saying one driver was dead, and he was trying to remove the second which was a 16 year old girl, so he could start CPR. Turned out to be a double fatal, the dispatcher never criticized me again.

[Samuel]

Last night I was behind the front desk where I work security. A guest came running into the lobby and yelled "Call 911 my sister was assaulted!" I asked him what room he was in and he barley answered me as he ran out the door (back to his room I presume). I called 911 and it went like this.

Dispatcher: Flagstaff 911 where is your emergency located?
Me: The super 8 on Kasper ave room 214.
Dispatcher: And what is the nature of your emergency?
Me: I had a guest come down to the lobby here and tell me his sister was assaulted.
Dispatcher: Is there any alcohol or weapons involved?
Me: I'm not sure.
Dispatcher: Whats the name of the person who rented the room?
Me: I tell her the name.
Dispatcher: What does the suspect look like?
Me: I'm not sure.
Dispatcher: Where is the suspect now?
Me: I don't know, the guy just ran into the lobby and left.
Dispatcher:Are there any injuries?
Me: I don't know.
Dispatcher: Well if you don't know these things why are you the one calling 911?
Me: The guy just asked me if I'd call for him.
Dispatcher: Next time have that person just call, there's no reason for us to be on the phone right now. I'll send an officer. Click!


I was really surprised the lady was so rude to me. Oh well...

On the flip side, take a look at how you sound from the 911 call taker's point of view. 'Umm, someone told me there is an emergency but I have no idea what it is or what is going on.'

From a learning point of view, I hope you look at the transcription you provided. What you were asked were all legitimate questions. What is going on, do you need fire or police or both, did a crime occur, what kind, any weapons, how many bad guys, are they still there, how did they leave, how many victims, where are they, etc etc etc.

"my sister was assaulted" can mean so many different things. Verbally abused, pushed, slapped, groped, attempt kidnapped, punched/kicked, attacked but not struck, robbed, raped, stabbed, shot, etc...

If you have ever taken 911 calls for 8-10 hours a shift, you would better understand the probable frustration the call taker had with you. Doesn't excuse "rudeness" but, if I were still taking 911 calls, I would have been pretty frustrated with you too.

IIRC, Super 8 is a motel - IME, most motels are sh1tbag/dirtbag magnets and All Sorts of shady stuff happens there. If I am sending my partners to a place where criminals like to stay or criminal activity occurs, often involving firearms, you can bet I'm gonna want as much information I can get before I send them in.

[WilliamTomFrank]

So basically all you said was someone was assaulted at such and such location. Hmm. I'd be aggrivated too. BUT, i'd never hang up on you.

[normal1]

So basically all you said was someone was assaulted at such and such location. Hmm. I'd be aggrivated too. BUT, i'd never hang up on you.

Can't say I agree with that. Their job, as I understand it, is to dispatch the proper emergency assets into emergency situations. They are being told that someone came in and said there was an emergency, is he supposed to ignore that? Its the same as if the guy picked up the phone, called 911 and said "my girlfriend was just assaulted!" gave the address and hung up. I'm pretty certain she would still send officers out sans the attitude.

[WilliamTomFrank]

No, no, no, my job is to protect the lives of my officers. My officers are the most important thing to me, then RP's and victims. If an RP didn't/couldn't/wouldn't advise me any more information than that, then yes i would be aggrivated. As Samuel has stated: "my sister was assaulted" can mean so many different things. Verbally abused, pushed, slapped, groped, attempt kidnapped, punched/kicked, attacked but not struck, robbed, raped, stabbed, shot, etc...

The suspect could still be on scene, armed and dangerous. Officers show up, and before they can react.....bam bam. One of them gets killed because they weren't sure if the suspect had any weapons, or was even still there. Thats vital information that would've saved an officers life had they known it.

Then whose fault would it be?

I'm not saying I would ignore it, and i'm not saying I wouldn't send officers, what I am saying is that i would be aggrivated because the RP didn't advise any more information than he did. I realize that officers should arrive and expect the worst and be ready for anything but still yet, thats vital information that WOULD save an officers life. So exuse you/me if i get a little hasty.

[TylerEMT]

I can understand being frustrated with me for not knowing, but I told her I just had someone run down. She should know I have limited info. My hotel makes me wear a badge (which I hate, as I'm not the police), I'm not about to be running into that situation, just to get the info for the officers. I could easily be mistaken for a cop and shot, and I can't shoot back.

[WilliamTomFrank]

Well thats your decision. Nobody can force you to do anything. So what did you do?

[JRT6]

Hardest part of policing is dealing with dispatchers pissed off that they have to turn off the internet and tv to answer the radio.

[Wolfman]

Hardest part of policing is dealing with dispatchers pissed off that they have to turn off the internet and tv to answer the radio.

:D lol +1

[Samuel]

I can understand being frustrated with me for not knowing, but I told her I just had someone run down. She should know I have limited info. My hotel makes me wear a badge (which I hate, as I'm not the police), I'm not about to be running into that situation, just to get the info for the officers. I could easily be mistaken for a cop and shot, and I can't shoot back.

So next time try to get more info.

[MrJim911]

What she said during that call was fine up until she called you out on not having all the answers and hanging up on you. Callers frequently do not have all of the answers, you get what you can and give it out. Telling you you shouldn't have called and hanging up on you is unprofessional to say the least. That wouldn't have flown at my agency, it's simply not done. If I were you I'd write a letter or make a pit stop at the PD on the way home.

Hardest part of dispatching are callers who have no info, and then giving said info to the officers who don't know how to use a radio and are pissed they have to go to calls and do paperwork.

[Lawson]

I cannot stand talking to call-takers who act like they wouldn't give you the time of day on the street. I would call dispatch from time to time off-duty (if I observed a collision or some other police-warranting activity) and would catch attitude from them until I told them my radio number.

On the other hand Ive spoken to great dispatchers. Recently I was out of town and saw a big fight at a bus stop. I had no idea where I was for the most part, but did my best to call it in. Even with the limited info I could offer the call-takers were amazing and did a great job finding out where I was talking about and were understanding of my situation when I apologized about not knowing everything I should.

[Stillen GLE]

people have to understand that being a dispatcher is a very difficult job, because you can get so many phone calls in at a time, and you have to keep your composure.