The Dispatcher

“Behind the Badge”       Communications Professionals

By Joseph Pangaro

A few years ago a very popular TV game show burst onto the scene. As a part of the drama a contestant stuck on a particular answer could call a friend for help, this was referred to as “A life line”. What a great concept, a life line, someone to reach out to when you really need it. This would be excellent in real life wouldn’t it? There you are at your favorite restaurant, the bill comes and it’ $100 more than you have. The waiter stands there tapping his toe and smiling as you recount your money for the tenth time. Then it hits you, a life line! You dial a buddy and he runs in the front door with the cash, problem solved. There are a thousand other situations where a life line would be a welcome addition to our every day existence. Unfortunately there are very few real life lines out there. In law enforcement we are very lucky because we do have a real life line: The men and women of our communications division, our dispatchers. 

These public service employees are the unsung heroes of the public safety world. They are the connection between the residents of a community and the assistance units they need help from. If someone is breaking into your house and you dial 911 or your local police sttation, a dispatcher answers the call. They take the information from you, which is not always easy. Most times when people call for help they are in various states of distress. The dispatcher has to calm the person down enough to get the pertinent information such as where the incident is taking place and what is needed there. Once they get that info they have to decide on who to send. What officers are available, where are they in relation to the call, is there a specific expertise called for, all the while keeping the caller on the phone and reassuring them. This is not an easy job. I have watched the dispatchers perform their duties under some very trying situations. It is amazing to watch the more veteran communications people as they handle these calls with a calm that would surprise you. They seamlessly connect ambulance calls to fire companies to the county radio room and the same time keep track of the cops on the road and what they need.

There have been times when I have been out at a situation and before my backup has gotten on scene, and the only thing you have is the voice of that dispatcher on the radio to let you know you’re not alone. It can be very reassuring. Some of the people I have worked with over the years have a keen sense of timing and the ability to remember the habits and particulars of how individual officers do their work. They know the difference in the officers tone of voice means he is suspicious and wants more checks to be done on a suspect. Or the way she describes something she is seeing tells the dispatcher to send more help. All this is done without actually having to say those words. It is this kind of dedication to duty and ability that makes the dispatchers a real life line for cops and fire personnel.

Another interesting aspect of a career in dispatching is the way the public deals with them in non emergency situations. Public safety dispatch personnel are at times; counselors, coaches, interrogators, and the last hope for many people with no one else to call. The lonely despondent person that calls for help gets a dispatcher, the woman living with a domestic violence nightmare unsure how to proceed gets a dispatcher, the little child who finds daddy laying on the living room floor and won’t wake up gets a dispatcher. All of these callers go to dispatch first, before ever hearing from or seeing a cop. Properly trained and given the proper respect our dispatchers are a vital link in the public safety chain. We can never overlook their contributions. There are many a dispatchers out there that have saved many lives by talking someone through the steps of CPR, how to do the Heimlich Maneuver, or guiding someone to a hiding spot while awaiting the police.                                                                                                                                                       I know that I am grateful to my dispatch people for their care and concern for me, my officers and the residents of my community.  Next time you have the opportunity to call and speak to a dispatcher I hope you keep this in mind and thank them for their efforts. They are always at the end of the phone when you need them, 24 hours and day seven days a week.      

            

Let me know what you think.   Email me   jpangaro194@yahoo.com

Female Cops

“Behind the Badge”                             “Female Police Officers”

By Joseph Pangaro

The modern law enforcement agency has a variety of tools at their disposal to protect and serve our communities. The opportunities for everyone in our society to participate and add to that tool box have never been greater either, and their value has never been higher. The idea of a female police officer is not new, in the 1970’s it was more novel than it is today since women made up a very small number of the overall police officers nationwide at that time. Today, most agencies have women in uniform, not in the sheer numbers as that of their male counterparts but the number of women joining the ranks is growing every day. As a veteran officer myself I can tell you that the role of women in the world of law enforcement is one that has become essential to the overall delivery of police services.

I am not going to rehash the old arguments about “Can she do the job”. That is so outdated that it is not even worth the time to discuss. The women in law enforcement have proven their abilities over and over again, so the answer for all time should be; “Yes she can”, end of discussion. 

That being said, female police officers are often a source of interest to the general public. In many shore towns our departments have one, two, or may be three female cops. Over the years I have worked with female officers, detectives and investigators and found them to be tremendous assets to any type of investigation. They bring a different perspective in many instances and a different life view and experience. Some of the many questions that are sent to me by readers ask about these female officers and what they think of the career and how they see themselves. Based on those questions I interviewed several of the female officers I know from around the area to get their point of view.  I chose Police Officer Kathleen Delanoy in particular because of her heart felt answers and opinions. Officer Delanoy is a ten year veteran of a local Monmouth County Police Department. Here are excerpts of the interview.

Q: What is it like to be a female police officer?

A: Since the day I started I have gotten the usual questions, “What made you want to be a cop?” and “Aren’t you scared because you’re a girl”. First of all I grew up as a Tom-Boy and I still am. I was about 4 years old when my father’s friend, a local police officer, gave me and my brother a ride in a patrol car. Since then I was hooked. As for being scared, I am no more scared than my male colleagues. There have been times when I have felt overpowered in physical confrontations and wished I had a black belt in marshal arts, but I learned from the very beginning that physical strength should be a cop’s second skill in dealing with an unruly subject. The first ability should be to reason with them, even if they are in your face screaming obscenities at you.

Q: Do you find any advantages to being a female police officer?

A: There is a big advantage at times. When speaking with someone during any type of investigation, even if I arrive late, they tend to ignore the other officer and start telling me their story. Maybe they feel more comfortable speaking to a female because a woman’s presence is not always as intimidating as a man’s can be. There have been many times when I have had to search a female prisoner and they will tell me things they did not tell the male officers. Sometimes men will talk to me over a male officer and divulge information about an incident too.

Being a female officer can also be quite amusing at times too. I have stopped women who pretend to cry as I am walking up, thinking a male officer will fall for their sob story and let them go. When they realize I am a female their faces are priceless!

Q: How do you get along with your male counterparts on the job?

A: I am one of two female police officers who work with sixty men. In the beginning there was a male cop who refused to acknowledge my presence. I was overly nice to him and that didn’t work. After about 10 months on the job I stopped a car and found two stolen handguns in a hidden compartment. That same cop told me he was jealous because he had not gotten even one gun off the street. He said I proved that women could do the job. Since then I have been really lucky because the men I work with treat me like their sister.

Q: How do you think the public views you?

A: I have never had someone tell me that I shouldn’t be a police officer because I am female. I have heard on numerous occasions that people are impressed with the fact that I work with mostly all men and can handle the stress of the job. Sometimes I forget that I am different than male officers because we are a tight knit family. Then when I am approached by a mom with her kids she will say to little Johnny or Jane “Look women can be cops too”. I realize that I stand out as different as a male officer.  

Q: What do you feel is the best aspect of being a female police officer?

A: One of the best aspects is probably the hardest to describe and one that only another cop can understand. I have been extremely lucky to work with such a great group of men. The closeness we share is comparable to the bonds that families share. They do not make me feel different or uncomfortable when I am with them. They call me to go out as if I was one of the boys; they would jump in front of a bullet for me as I would for them. 

Another aspect of being a female police officer is clear when I walk in on a domestic and the female half is automatically drawn to me. It’s a reminder that the reason I took this job, like most cops, is to help others. When a woman tells me her side of the story, whether their boyfriend or husband has cheated on them or beat them up, they feel compelled to cry on my shoulder like I was one of their girlfriends. My goal is to leave their minds at ease and all their questions answered.

Q: What is the most difficult aspect of being a female cop?

A: There are some negative aspects to being a female officer, both on the job and off. Physical strength is one of them. Some situations require using force to neutralize a situation. Not having the physical strength of a male officer is very frustrating. That’s why working out is the key to officer safety for both men and women. Another tough area is dating. I have met men who aren’t cops and some of them feel intimidated because I carry a gun. I have dated men who don’t understand what a bad day really is. My bad day is having a child dying after doing CPR for an hour, their bad day might be a meeting that ran too long.

Another difficult aspect is that even though I am one of the guys, there are times when I don’t fit in. When I was new I was invited to a party and none of the wives and girlfriends would talk to me. The guys also acted different because they didn’t want their wives and girlfriends to think that they were as close to me as they were. As soon as they found out I was dating someone they accepted me.

Q: Do you think there is a difference in the way you are treated by the public compared to male officers?

A: Yes. The most annoying comment is when a man will say “Please arrest me officer” and put their hands behind their back.  I want to say “This is not a costume I am a professional”, instead I just smile and keep walking. Sometimes I hear comments about being too feminine to be a cop, little do they know I punch like a man!”

Q: What is your favorite part of police work?

A:  My favorite part is when I am approached by someone who remembers me from a call and tell me that I made a positive difference in their lives. I met a woman in a restaurant one day and she asked if I remembered her. I apologized because I didn’t, we see so many people in a day. She said I saved her life. I arrested her for possessing heroin and transported her to the county jail and treated her with respect. I asked her if she ever tried to quit using the drugs. She said using drugs was like breathing, but she quit soon after that and has been clean ever since. She said I made her feel like a human being and not just another drug addict. That was amazing.

Q: Would you recommend police work to other women?

A: I would definitely recommend a career in police work. I was never the type to sit behind a desk for 8 hours. The job is definitely not monotonous and is different every day. The bonds between officers are incredible and the feeling of saving a life, delivering a baby or simply making a positive impact on someone’s life is the best feeling in the world.

That short interview was just a glimpse into the world of our female police officers. I want to thank Officer Delanoy for her candid answers and personal points of view. I know the work she does and the difference she makes in the lives of the people in her community; they are lucky to have her on the job. She is truly a professional and takes the demands and responsibilities of the job to heart. Officer Delanoy is typical of the female police officers I have worked with over the course of my career. They have earned their place in the thin blue line by their actions and service to the community.  Each one is a great example of the type of dedication that a career in law enforcement demands.

Let me know what you think.         Jpangaro194@yahoo.com