tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85371879558522409332024-03-13T11:17:35.845-05:00Diary of a DispatcherRandom musings on the humanity I come in contact with...both on and off the job.Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-7388150108048975982012-08-27T17:17:00.000-05:002012-08-27T17:17:21.772-05:00Making Amends and Clearing the AirI've been doing some serious thinking lately, especially due in part to all the chaos and upheaval that is this place. I know it seems like I complain a lot and I don't want to come off that way. I love my job and I love this department (it might be a little masochistic) despite all of its flaws, its a good place.
I had a chance to work with the lady who trained me when I first came to work for Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-35874793286329643862012-08-25T21:36:00.001-05:002012-08-25T21:36:24.768-05:00Recent Events...I'm not sure exactly who looked at what...but now all of my favorite wasting time websites are now unavailable :( No pinterest, no youtube, and no Smith and Wesson! What?!
Luckily I can still write about this thing called dispatching and the ups and downs of the job! As some have realized, the communications division has had its share of trouble over the last 4-5 months, losing 4 experienced Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-13927107542881416482012-07-22T04:19:00.000-05:002012-07-22T04:19:19.844-05:00Chasing My TailSorry for the delay in regular updates, I promise my time has been well spent. Or not. At this point I think my days are running together and I think today is Friday...
It's like an adventure around here. Kinda like Third Watch meets Perils of Penelope or something like that. We've lost 3 people in the last two weeks and now are down to 5 fulltime dispatchers and with a department of 45 Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-2293683444219509742012-07-13T21:28:00.001-05:002012-07-13T21:28:54.038-05:00Happy Friday the 13thI joke that I'm superstitious about full moons and Friday the 13th, but I have to say I do put more faith in full moons than the other.
In an unexpected turn of events, we've lost two dispatchers in the last three days putting us down to five fulltime and one trainee...can anyone say overtime?
I will not complain, mostly due to the fact that one who quit was one of the biggest trouble makers weCanis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-47484633830238605442012-07-10T03:07:00.001-05:002012-07-10T03:07:08.050-05:00Is There Such A Thing?Is there such a thing as being too kind hearted or compassionate for this job? A concerned citizen brought in a newborn kitten last Friday and me, like a sap took it home simply because I think everything innocent deserves a fighting chance. I sit here on my front porch smoking and crying. (yes, I know it's a nasty habit and I should quit) I knew deep down the little guy wasn't going to survive Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-12582223042605701272012-07-06T12:03:00.001-05:002012-07-06T12:03:55.162-05:00Belatedly...I'm claiming the fact that I celebrated the 4th too hard to actually write an update.
Today is the first official day of the new shifts, so far so good...
Picking up where I left off, yesterday, I may have gotten a little busy ;)
Had a board interview today, yep, we're trying this again. Nervous as hell! But I sucked it up, it was all people that I work with already and they just tried to Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-76579248731926905082012-06-28T18:46:00.000-05:002012-06-28T18:46:40.558-05:00Bucket Listing...So, lately I've been considering writing a memoir. Not necessarily because I think my life has been particularly interesting or poignant, but mostly because I think I've experienced a lot in my short lifetime. Haha.
We traveled a lot when I was a kid and I have the dysfunctional extended family from hell...(my step-grandfather actually threatened to kill my father and uncles) and I have a uniqueCanis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-38297987093321354182012-06-24T21:02:00.000-05:002012-06-24T21:02:13.405-05:00Brick WallsToday is Sunday.
The day of rest. (in theory) So far today I've spent a lot of time talking to thin air, or deaf ears, or brick walls, or however the general public wants to be categorized today.
I've spent 15 minutes explaining to someone how I have no idea why an officer chooses to pull a car over because they do not tell dispatch their probable cause. In the same conversation I also had to Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-20106127445993641592012-06-22T22:34:00.000-05:002012-06-22T22:34:15.627-05:00SquirrelsI have to say so far my favorite call ever has been the squirrel calls...so far we've had one every night I've worked...I'm definitely a fan.
We have all been on pins and needles (I say "we" more like my nosey, loudmouth partner.
Oops, did I really write that? Yes. Yes, I did.
But I digress.
On pins and needles about the pending shift change that is supposed to take place on the 5th, I've Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-15735495786302809322012-06-18T17:18:00.002-05:002012-06-18T17:18:56.319-05:00Racial ProfilingI know Police Officers and Law Enforcement are accused of this frequently and the general citizenry are often quick to make the accusation.
Well, in case they didn't realize it, the citizenry does this frequently.
911 call right at shift change as I'm getting ready to go to briefing and this older, very white lady tells me that a truck full of Hispanic males just stopped at a local steakhouseCanis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-18909471972154456572012-06-17T20:41:00.000-05:002012-06-17T20:41:30.044-05:00Incorrigible PublicWell, I had a first today...
Finally got the "Police are never there when you need them, only when you happen to have a blinker out or swerve across the yellow line" speech today.
My response: ....
My response in my head: Well, lady if you have called the police when you first were "ran" off the roadway instead of following the person to their house and watching them pull into their driveway Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-26892012955416333292012-06-15T18:17:00.001-05:002012-06-15T18:17:07.377-05:00Summertime AnticsAs I've said many times, you have to be a unique person to do this job or at least a unique sense of humor.
There was a request for the sharing of said antics, but before I do that, I must say this:
I answer the phone "Police Department", but what I really should say is, "Animal Control, After Hours Utilities, Medical, Police and Fire Department" I'm not sure it has the same ring, but still...
Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-26040123646517041232012-06-14T19:07:00.000-05:002012-06-14T19:07:10.989-05:00Summer TimeSweet Summer Time...
Or more aptly, the season of the lunatic fringe.
I admit, it has its entertaining moments...Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-22781678990399461532012-06-08T15:07:00.000-05:002012-06-08T15:07:11.250-05:00Patience Short CircuitI think I may have finally had it with my partner...she's lucky there wasn't a homicide in dispatch yesterday!
Late Wednesday night, early Thursday morning we had a tragic occurance in the county. A 16 year old girl was taken from a convenience store and brutally killed, suspect is in custody.
My question to those readers who are dispatchers or current law enforcement, when is morbid curiosity Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-38844725355616860822012-06-06T15:15:00.000-05:002012-06-06T15:15:16.021-05:00ConfessionPart of the goal of this blog is to entertain, enlighten, vent, and in part keep me honest.
I love my job, I do it fairly well (if I do say so myself) and I would do anything for my friends. I'm also one of the millions of people in the world who struggles with an eating disorder.
When I heard the term, I used to think of bulimia or anorexia and girls who are skin and bones. I can honestly tellCanis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-82254179171152093992012-06-04T17:52:00.000-05:002012-06-04T17:52:55.879-05:00Training and Experience
Lately, I've been spending a lot of time lately perusing thru training articles and the FEMA independent study website. In my mind, you can never be too prepared (and it alleviates some of the boredom).
I'm such a firm believer in cross-training and establishing a strong working relationship, even when the parties involved may not exactly like each other. I know every agency stuggles with Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-20935591266829649282012-06-04T17:51:00.001-05:002012-06-04T17:51:16.435-05:00Jurisdictional Issues?I'm sure this is a common theme for agencies all over the country, that age old argument over whose problem is whose. And as I'm sure is also common, those who actually handle the day to day problems are the ones who work quite well with each other and have no real issues with the other agencies.
I'm also aware that this is also not always the case, as training and procedures can also differ andCanis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-79754436249120844052012-06-02T22:01:00.000-05:002012-06-02T22:01:03.242-05:00Only RequestIf I could only ask one thing, I'm pretty sure it would be too much. Especially since I would be asking for something that requires common sense and intelligence.
Please people, put more thought into your custody agreements!
That is all.Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-39335736261334595722012-05-29T18:26:00.002-05:002012-05-29T18:26:52.805-05:00Whaa...?After a few years there's not much that surprises me anymore, or so I think.
Yesterday had a couple of "firsts" for me in the way of Calls For Service.
Elderly people are either my most or least favorite callers to talk to, mostly because they either already have all of the answers or know your boss, or they have no clue and are worried they are bothering you and are sweet as pie.
Well, when Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-32685497615613037752012-05-28T15:35:00.000-05:002012-05-28T15:35:00.343-05:00I've read that this is one of the most sacred non-christian holidays celebrated in the United States. Not many people understand the sacrifices that are made by men and women in the Armed Forces and their families, but those within the Blue Line family come close.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Happy Memorial Day, everyone! Stay safe and never Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-91778259919117592442012-05-27T02:34:00.000-05:002012-05-27T02:34:23.878-05:00New Baby in the House :)Haha...not that kind of baby :)
We are now proud parents of an eight week old kitten named (aptly) Lil Shit. We tried a dog, long-term dog-sitting was a great way to learn that we are really not home enough to handle a dog at the moment and that is exactly the great thing about cats. They are extremely self-sufficient!
I know there are cat people and dog people, we happen to be both in this Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-29189833679503931372012-05-23T02:25:00.001-05:002012-05-23T02:25:21.126-05:00DelimmaThis is a post that is definitely different than my usual, however it still may pertain to the general theme. :)
This job has its stresses, its ups and its down. Yet, somehow, they seem to be easier to handle within the job than in my personal life. I have a dear friend, who at one point worked in this field. She's what I would tongue-in-cheek call, "emergency services royalty" her father is a Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-68519040213972783112012-05-21T18:06:00.000-05:002012-05-21T18:06:50.537-05:00There's nothing better than being able to sit down with a few of your closest fellow dispatchers (i.e. the ones you hang out with outside of work) or officers and reminisce about either the most bizarre calls, callers, and instances. I do complain ( a lot ), but I'm pretty blessed to have some of the best officers a department could have. True, sometimes they make me want to choke them and Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-84985997457679370512012-05-18T20:06:00.002-05:002012-05-18T20:06:47.108-05:00Ever..?Have you ever worked with someone who has to have the last word? Or someone who has to interject themself into your conversation that you are having with someone else? Or perhaps has to tell the same story 25 times within an 8 hour period?
I do. :)
In a 25X25 room.
Love this job!Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8537187955852240933.post-59331096895395641142012-05-13T16:24:00.001-05:002012-05-13T16:24:04.714-05:00ParallelIt continually fascinates me how we as dispatchers (and officers) tend to live in these parallel universes. We co-exist with the everyday public, celebrate birthdays, holidays and family milestones, same as everyone. However, once we put on our uniform or headset, the world shifts and our view becomes reset.
Today is Mother's Day, a day where families all across the country celebrate the Canis Comedithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11703923023120751646noreply@blogger.com5