I'm too good for a back-up

[Stump]

Yes, I posted this exact same thing elsewhere. I got some really good input, and wanna know what you can bring to this discussion. This is a RANT and then I calm down a little at the end to ask for cops' opinions...
It happened the other night, and I am still irked about it.
I got a call for 4 people physically fighting. No weapons were seen, but then again, complaintant didn't have good line of sight. I then received 4 other calls, all stating the same thing. A 2 man unit piped up to take the call. Our General Order states that as a dispatcher, I am only to send 2 officers to a priority. (If any other officer pipes up to go, I am not to deny them, but not to ask for a third officer. This is another rant for another time).
Ok, now I am thinking "I would like to have the cops outnumber the fighters, so.... ". I broadcasted (no cars available) for a second car (third cop) to respond with the first set of cops. One car in a section about 10 miles away pipes up that he will respond. Great . Then Bob (name changed to protect the a$$hole) pipes up. Bob is a patrol officer with 15 years experience and thinks he is sgt. I respect him a lot, but he second-guesses dispatcher decisions all the time (my decisions he seldom trashes). Anyway - he says "Dispatch. The car that is responding is a 2 badge unit. There is no need for a second car." Now, he was not involved in that job other than it being in his section, and it was tacky and embarrassing to have him pipe up on the air like that. The 2 man unit, the Sgt, the Lt, the responding car - none of them piped up to say to cancel the 3rd officer, and trust me, they would.
My reaction to his transmission? I was not going to get into a pissing match with him over the air or otherwise. I just ignored the comment, and sent an MDT to the 3rd cop, and said "I am aware the field force car is 2 badge, but with 4 confirmed fighters, I'd like to have an extra car. Will you continue?" He sent back that yes, he would.
Now, I am an aggressive dispatcher, but I also try to passively pursuade people into doing what I want, so they think it is their idea. I've been doing it for a long time, and it still seems to work.

My question to you cops --
What would you have done as Bob in the same situation? As the 3rd guy, the 2 man unit, the boss? As me? And Bob was tied up with his call, so he wasn't able to cancel the 3rd guy and go himself (or pretend to respond).

Who has the attitude "Cops are big boys,they have guns,they can call if they want help"? I hear that from several of our dispatchers, and I can't disagree more. I feel it is MY job to make sure they DON'T need to call for help. I am supposed to provide that. I'd be really interested in hearing your response.

[txinvestigator1]

Stump

Keep on protecting those officers.

[replay]

I think you made the right call, Stump.

[PiMpWiThArAnGeR]

i thought it was dispatches job to decide how much backup some1 needs or gets????

[zander_zye]

I am finding it hard to follow your entire scenerio. However, in a fight, I think there can never be too much backup. If things go south, I would want as much help as I could get. If things are not as bad and can be patched up in a hurry, the other officers can go about their way.

[vadep]

Good call Stump....

If the two man unit didn't want the other car, they'd have canceled themselves...

[Stump]

Is it some macho thing that cops have that won't allow them to ask for backup? Or that they feel the need to cancel backup before they even know what they are going to come across?
I know Bob will continue being the way he is, and he usually doesn't give me a problem, but I wish he wouldn't second guess my reasoning. :(

[mcsap]

You made a good call. The car you did send had the rank and auhtority to cancel your dispatch or additional backup. On the other hand, BOB may have been to this "fight" before and knew what to expect from the past. That does not mean that every call is identical.

Our dispatchers always send 2 cars to a burglar alarm. We talk on side channel and usually only one actually shows up.

When we ask for an ambulance at a call, oyr dispatch asks us what class of response ? The possibilities ar e class 1, 2 or 3. One being the highest priority. I have told them repeatedly that we were NEVER trained on determining class of response but they don't seem to care. I just guess when they ask.

We do get along fine with our dispatch center. WHen I was an FTO, I made it part of training that the new officer spend a day there and also a day at the jail ( which we do not control or have anything to do with) .

Bottom line. You dispatch what you think is proper and in good officer safety. We will ultimately decide who goes where but your input and point of view ( having talked to the comp) is something we don't usually have.

[HK45cal]

stump I think you made a good decision, and you were right for not getting into a pissin match on the radio. I wonder if Bob showed up regardless, two if the officers are pretty close then most will go just to go. We "wolf pack" all disorders,fights,drunks, etc, etc some people like it and some hate it, but I dont care

good job, theres a bob on every shift of every department

[canuckofapeach]

Originally posted by Stump

I know Bob will continue being the way he is, and he usually doesn't give me a problem, but I wish he wouldn't second guess my reasoning. :( [/B]

STUMP:

Bob's reactions speak volumes for himself - not you.

Just keep doing the voodoo that you do best...

[Lfpdlieu302]

i think you made the right decision stump.

this next quote i dont like.


"Now, I am an aggressive dispatcher, but I also try to passively pursuade people into doing what I want, so they think it is their idea. I've been doing it for a long time, and it still seems to work. "

please dont take offense at this, it's probably just because i have so many issues with our dispatch. but, i am trained to make the decisions on the street, not the dispatcher. and when i hear an aggresive dispatcher try and tell me what i am going or need to be doing, i find it offensive. again, dont take offense as its not personally directed at you.

[Stump]

No, I get it, Jesse. I don't tell bosses what to do over the air. I ask them to call my supervisor.
I don't deny the guys the jobs they want unless I HAVE to get a different job out.I think you misinterpreted what I said. I don't tell you what to do on the street, but I do assign the jobs. I don't do it to show power, but there is always a good reason behind it, and I do advise the ofcrs of such. In return, if they feel something else is needed, they advise me and we go from there.
I take it you never heard of "aggressive dispatching"? As quoted in our last memo:
Our primary objective is to receive and dispatch calls quickly,
accurately, and as safely as possible.
We hope that the issues discussed below will help you accomplish that objective.
As usual, our 2 main goals are:
1. Ensuring Officer Safety
2. Zero Waiting Summaries (no jobs holding)
As a dispatcher always relay all the info to the responding officers names, vehicles, suspect and clothing descriptions , officer may just pass the fleeing suspect or vehicle if info isn't given in a timely manner.
Keep control of the air & your jobs--- don't let officers pick and choose their jobs. You are the authoritative voice.....

Dispatchers here aren't secretaries. We have gone through extensive training on how to do the job, and should be trusted to do that.

[Jake Bullet]

Stump, I totally agree with your point about passing on all info. It really annoys me when I have to interrogate the controller over the radio to get info that I need, and to find that he has it all and didnt pass it on originally.

[Lfpdlieu302]

hey stump, you guys need to train our dispatchers!!

[K9Cop]

Stump I think you made the correct call - would love to have a few clones of you, with your mindset, dispatching around here as well.

Many years ago, I was one of those officers that would whine (not over the radio mind you) about dispatchers and question (in my own mind) some of the calls they would make as well as the lack of information they were able to provide. Well, when I moved to another state I had no choice but to work dispatch until a vacancy opened for an officer position. That was the longest most frustrating and stressful....six months of my life. I left that job to go back on the streets but I gained alotta respect and admiration for our life lines - dispatchers - .....more so for the one's who do their job so well. I think it should be a requirement that new officers sit in with dispatch for a day or two.......just so they know what it is like. (the busier night the better)

On a funnier note....it was slow one night (around 3:00 am) while I was dispatching and I was getting bored so I dogged the officers when they stopped in the PD and told them to at least give me some traffic to run.....a few of the officers got together (unbeknownst to me) and began requesting vehicle registrations one after another. Come to find out they were requesting registration info of vehicles that were in the impound lot - they got me real good - I did not put 2 and 2 together until they ran my POV tag and I began transmitting the info without first looking at the registered owners information.