As a dispatcher, I’m not what you would call ‘tech savvy.’ I push the button on the radio, I talk, I release the button and people talk back. Same thing with my CAD: I type on it, and words form on the screen. But lately, in my little corner of the world, we have had a lot of problems with our radio—something about fiber optics, misrouted fairy dust, a flux capacitor or some such nonsense. It wasn’t anything I did that caused the problem! I’ve been typing on the same keyboard/CAD for years, using all the same keystrokes: a never ending stream of codes, call types and narratives. Why would I, all of a sudden, push F9 instead of F1, for example, if F1 has been doing such a great job all these years? Can you tell my IT guy just loves me? “Hey, the thing-that-makes-my-unit-go-here is broken; can you please come fix it? Oh, and while you’re at it, can I have a purple background? It’s my favorite color!” I don’t know why he always turns in the opposite direction when he sees me in the hallway.
Anyway, it got me thinking about what things were like “back in the day.” Having been in this industry for so long and having known so many officers, deputies and fireman, I can’t go very long without hearing a good ol’ bull session about “how we used to do it…” or “remember when…?” Looking back over the years, it’s obvious that now, we rely heavily on technology, which keeps changing and evolving, faster and faster. This is one of the reasons I’m always encouraging others to take continuing education and to keeping up with trends in the industry. Technology will definitely pass you by and your job can outgrow you if you don’t watch carefully. You don’t want to wait until you’re in the middle of a critical call to realize that you aren’t prepared or properly trained on available technology. I recently heard a great saying, which I love. I’m sure it was meant for the field units, but can be applied to all of us: Don’t train until you get it right, train until you can’t get it wrong!
I’m probably going to date myself, but advances in technology have given my teletype nifty shortcuts that it didn’t have when I started and have changed the way I do my job. I used to have to look up (and eventually memorize) all the specific codes in order to enter something or someone into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). And you had better get all the spaces, commas and semicolons in the correct position or it would kick the code back, and you would have to start over. No auto-correct back in the day! There was no way to attach an image to an entry, or even to email a photo from one agency to another to verify the identity of a possible wanted subject. Better get all those identifying scars, marks and tattoos typed in there correctly. There were no training programs to practice on either—it was all on-the-job training. Paper logs, booking sheets and uniform traffic tickets have now all been computerized in addition to our radios, phones and maps going digital. Everything is password protected and most change every 30–90 days, keeping us all on our toes. Researching crimes, locations and prior offenses have become as easy as the push of a button. Even recording devices have been computerized and are taking less and less room. (Remember those reel-to-reels and VHS tapes that had to be changed every 24 hours?)
But, just because things are easier than they used to be doesn’t mean everyone likes it or that we don’t have problems anymore. Some dispatchers still like to hold on to the “way it has always been done” in fear of letting go of the paper trail. You just never know if you might need that someday they argue. Some habits are hard to break. Things have been and continue to be streamlined wherever possible. My agency is considered mid-sized, and we have access to much more than we utilize, but there are still areas where we can improve.
Though innovations and progress have their benefits, computers and technology can and do fail on occasion. (Say it isn’t so!) The funny thing is, this is when we old timers shine! I always make sure my portable, pen and scratch pad are within reach. Junior guys on the road can’t map their calls for service and ask for the address 10 times before they get on scene. Back in the day, we used to have a training officer who would tell his trainee to stop the cruiser out of the blue and then ask his rookie to name his location without looking at the street signs to make sure the rookie wasn’t relying solely on maps to guide him. After all, the first thing we learn in all phases of this job is the importance of location. You can’t do, go or help without the correct location!
One of my former watch commanders had a great little tool to make sure his guys did the proper amount of business checks in the department: He would go in the field on night shift and put pennies on the doorknobs. At the end of shift, he would check to see how much change had been collected. And it better have matched up with what he put out there, or else he knew the officers hadn’t been through. Regardless of technological assistance, a good cop will put in the work to know his district, zone or neighborhood—what’s normal and what’s unusual. A good cop will also appreciate a good dispatcher! Right, guys? We love to catch the bad guy, save the victim and ensure your personal safety just as much as you do. I promise.
Just after Hurricane Charley hit in 2004, our generator failed and we lost everything for more than two hours. The absolute worst feeling in the world for a dispatcher is having no control. The point that I’m trying to make is that technology can have great benefits, some pitfalls, but should never stand in for a dispatcher or an officer’s preparation. So, train for the worst possible situation. What happens when the CADS go down? What happens when the phones go down? What happens when the power fails? Train until you can do it with your eyes closed, so to speak. Practice your backup plan until it becomes a smooth transition when things go south. Train until you can’t get it wrong, and before you know it, all you younger folks will look back on the outdated tools you used to use and have your own “back-in-the-day” stories.
Stay safe, my family.
