Hey 911 Dispatches

RebekahR84

I've done this job for 9 years now. We handle calls for the entire county, which includes county sheriff, city police, county fire, and city fire. What everyone else is saying is true. The job changes you. It can make you unhealthy and cynical. But you have the advantage going into it of being warned. Maybe you can look out for these changes in yourself.

I will say that I love the job itself. It's usually fast-paced, usually interesting, and has room for advancement (depending on the department's size.) Also, the pay and benefits at my department are quite good, and we don't come into contact with prisoners. It does attract some really strong personalities, though, so keep your head low and keep to yourself until you're fully trained and have observed your co-workers. There's this old woman at my center who plays like she's everyone's grandmother at first. But really, she's a horrible bully and always acts like a martyr, and she causes those on her "bad side" a great deal of stress. No one wants to handle her because she cries and lies. I've heard from many other dispatchers that there's a version of this woman at every department,

Right now, I train new recruits, so I can confirm that training is really stressful. So, if the job is not for you, try to figure that out early on. No one blames anyone for quitting.

Also, as side note, I met my husband, a police officer, here. 7 of us dispatchers have, actually. Just FYI.

cornfritter22

I had a polygraph for this job yesterday. Wow, explaining in detail to a stranger every single bad thing I've ever done for about 3 hours was pretty much the most humiliating thing I've ever been through. Though I did very well on my written and audio tests earlier in the week and I will probably "pass" this lie detector since I was in fact honest, I doubt that I will get hired since I've done some really stupid stuff in the past.

yoyofighter

It takes a certain kind of person to do this type of job. Good luck!