Personal Ethics
CheckPoint 2 Personal Ethical Standards
Thomas Phillip Moore II
ADJ/235
12/14/2012
Sheila Toppin
CheckPoint 2 Personal Ethical Standards
Professional Ethical Standards
Introduction
Each year more than 240 million callers attempt to receive emergency services (Dispatch Magazine On-Line, 2008). Who handles all of these phone calls? Communications centers that field 911 phone calls are staffed with trained 911 operators, also called communication officers in some areas. These men and women answer calls daily from victims of crime, individuals seeking emergency medical or fire services, concerned community members, and on rare occasions, the criminals themselves. Answering the calls and prioritizing them for law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians (EMT), and fire departments requires knowledge, patience, discretion, and ethics.
The Job
According to Eastside Regional Communications Center (2008), 911 dispatchers answer phones for both emergency and non-emergency calls for not only law enforcement but medical and fire services as well. These individuals work with computer-aided dispatching services as well as computerized phone and radio systems. Dispatch Magazine On-Line also states that these individuals must prioritize these calls when numerous phone calls come into the center at the same time. Dispatchers must complete clerical work, retrieve information from callers using various computer and phone systems, monitor radio frequencies, and relay relevant information between officers and callers. This is only a partial list of duties for a public safety dispatcher. Dispatchers may be required to assume other tasks as needed because of short staff, budget cuts, and situations that have never before been dealt with. Individuals seeking a career as a public safety dispatcher need the ability to remain calm and confident, be knowledgeable, maintain patience, calm down the caller, and maintain high morals.
A Day in the Life
No
Thomas Phillip Moore II
ADJ/235
12/14/2012
Sheila Toppin
CheckPoint 2 Personal Ethical Standards
Professional Ethical Standards
Introduction
Each year more than 240 million callers attempt to receive emergency services (Dispatch Magazine On-Line, 2008). Who handles all of these phone calls? Communications centers that field 911 phone calls are staffed with trained 911 operators, also called communication officers in some areas. These men and women answer calls daily from victims of crime, individuals seeking emergency medical or fire services, concerned community members, and on rare occasions, the criminals themselves. Answering the calls and prioritizing them for law enforcement officers, emergency medical technicians (EMT), and fire departments requires knowledge, patience, discretion, and ethics.
The Job
According to Eastside Regional Communications Center (2008), 911 dispatchers answer phones for both emergency and non-emergency calls for not only law enforcement but medical and fire services as well. These individuals work with computer-aided dispatching services as well as computerized phone and radio systems. Dispatch Magazine On-Line also states that these individuals must prioritize these calls when numerous phone calls come into the center at the same time. Dispatchers must complete clerical work, retrieve information from callers using various computer and phone systems, monitor radio frequencies, and relay relevant information between officers and callers. This is only a partial list of duties for a public safety dispatcher. Dispatchers may be required to assume other tasks as needed because of short staff, budget cuts, and situations that have never before been dealt with. Individuals seeking a career as a public safety dispatcher need the ability to remain calm and confident, be knowledgeable, maintain patience, calm down the caller, and maintain high morals.
A Day in the Life
No
References: Abuse of Power (2008). Law enforcement Code of Ethics. Retrieved January 24, 2011, from: http://www.abuseofpower.info/Culture_EthicsCode.htm Dispatch Magazine On-Line (2008). Facts and figures. Retrieved January 24, 2011, from: http://www.911dispatch.com/info/fact_figures.html Eastside Regional Communications Center (2008). 911-Dispatcher. Retrieved January 24, 2011, from: http://www.eastsidecomm.org/dispatcherdesc.htm National Academies of Emergency Dispatch (2009). Code of Ethics. Retrieved January 24, 2011, from: http://www.emergencydispatch.org/org_code_ethics.php