| Well, there really is no easy answer to what Tactical Dispatching is all about, mainly because it is something that is able to be tailored to any Police Department, to use as it best suits them. |
In terms of gathering information, it is the Public Safety Dispatcher who is the first point of contact for just about
any citizen who calls into the police department. Gathering information is second nature to dispatchers, it is what
we do and it comes naturally to us. During a critical incident, one form of information gathering that might be
done by a Tactical Dispatcher would be to collect information on a suspect or suspects, if their names are known
to the police. This can be done several different ways, including checks in CAD and other records types of checks.
By having the dispatcher do this from inside the Communications Center and then respond to the scene of a
critical incident, it saves one of the most important things there is in the first hour of an incident, it saves TIME!
The dispatcher can run all of the checks and upon arriving at the scene hand over a wealth of information which
may be used to help commanders in the field in their decision making process.
When talking about documenting information, Tactical Dispatchers every single day are proving themselves to be
invaluable. There are a variety of logs, forms, charts, etc. which can be implemented and displayed for Command
staff and SWAT members upon their arrival, and Tactical Dispatchers are taught how to do those types of tasks.
Some agencies use their Tactical Dispatchers to diagram the scene of an incident, including plotting the
movements of all inner-perimeter, outer-perimeter, SWAT members, HNT teams, snipers, etc. Everything is kept
visually so the commanders can have all information available to them with just the glance at the chart. Some
Tactical Dispatch teams completely relieve the incident from the Communications Center, both in terms of the
chronological log on CAD and all radio traffic, thus relieving those individuals inside the Communications Center to
carry on other tasks as assigned.
In terms of disseminating information, it could be left to the Tactical Dispatcher to brief oncoming personnel, to
answer questions related to the overall scene when requested to do so, to brief the media, etc.
The bottom line is Tactical Dispatching is whatever your agency wants it to be. And it is a fluid, ever changing
entity. What started out one way may not work forever, and Tactical Dispatchers are able to vary the way they
do business. Some agencies employ a team of 1 Tactical Dispatcher, using a pencil and pad of paper, writing on
the top of a patrol car which is being used as the Command Post. Some agencies send up to 10 Tactical
Dispatchers to the scene of a critical incident and use them in other, various ways.
If you are a SWAT or HNT Commander reading this, know that the program is whatever you and your team
determine they want it to be. Agencies all over the state, and country for that matter, are employing dispatchers
in the role which they truly are the subject matter experts, and leaving the officers and Community Service
Officers available to do things which better suit them during a critical incident. If you would like a demonstration of
Tactical Dispatch at work, click here, and our Outreach Team will get back to you. If your agency doesn't have a
team, the question you have to ask yourself is, 'Why not?' Dispatchers are highly trained, flexible, and eager to
help during a critical incident. Why not have the subject matter experts on your team to assist you in doing the
best job possible.
If you are a Communications Manager or Supervisor reading this, first of all, good for you. It is exciting when
management seek out other opportunities for dispatchers, as we all know there aren't many once in the field. The
questions you are probably asking are really, universal in nature and they are, 'How much is it going to cost me'
and 'How will it affect staffing'. Truth be told, you don't need to start with a team of 10 who respond to the
scene. You also don't need to start with a $400,000 Command Vehicle to make this work. One Tactical
Dispatcher with a pen and paper will go a long way to improving the way your department does business. If you
would like to see how this could benefit your department, your Communications Center and maybe more
importantly, YOUR staff, click here. Our Outreach Team would be more than happy to demonstrate the concepts
and ideas of Tactical Dispatch to you and your staff.
If you are a dispatcher wanting more information on implementing a team with your agency and would like more
information on the next step to take, click here. One of our Regional Directors will be in touch to work something
out and help you in any way we can.
any citizen who calls into the police department. Gathering information is second nature to dispatchers, it is what
we do and it comes naturally to us. During a critical incident, one form of information gathering that might be
done by a Tactical Dispatcher would be to collect information on a suspect or suspects, if their names are known
to the police. This can be done several different ways, including checks in CAD and other records types of checks.
By having the dispatcher do this from inside the Communications Center and then respond to the scene of a
critical incident, it saves one of the most important things there is in the first hour of an incident, it saves TIME!
The dispatcher can run all of the checks and upon arriving at the scene hand over a wealth of information which
may be used to help commanders in the field in their decision making process.
When talking about documenting information, Tactical Dispatchers every single day are proving themselves to be
invaluable. There are a variety of logs, forms, charts, etc. which can be implemented and displayed for Command
staff and SWAT members upon their arrival, and Tactical Dispatchers are taught how to do those types of tasks.
Some agencies use their Tactical Dispatchers to diagram the scene of an incident, including plotting the
movements of all inner-perimeter, outer-perimeter, SWAT members, HNT teams, snipers, etc. Everything is kept
visually so the commanders can have all information available to them with just the glance at the chart. Some
Tactical Dispatch teams completely relieve the incident from the Communications Center, both in terms of the
chronological log on CAD and all radio traffic, thus relieving those individuals inside the Communications Center to
carry on other tasks as assigned.
In terms of disseminating information, it could be left to the Tactical Dispatcher to brief oncoming personnel, to
answer questions related to the overall scene when requested to do so, to brief the media, etc.
The bottom line is Tactical Dispatching is whatever your agency wants it to be. And it is a fluid, ever changing
entity. What started out one way may not work forever, and Tactical Dispatchers are able to vary the way they
do business. Some agencies employ a team of 1 Tactical Dispatcher, using a pencil and pad of paper, writing on
the top of a patrol car which is being used as the Command Post. Some agencies send up to 10 Tactical
Dispatchers to the scene of a critical incident and use them in other, various ways.
If you are a SWAT or HNT Commander reading this, know that the program is whatever you and your team
determine they want it to be. Agencies all over the state, and country for that matter, are employing dispatchers
in the role which they truly are the subject matter experts, and leaving the officers and Community Service
Officers available to do things which better suit them during a critical incident. If you would like a demonstration of
Tactical Dispatch at work, click here, and our Outreach Team will get back to you. If your agency doesn't have a
team, the question you have to ask yourself is, 'Why not?' Dispatchers are highly trained, flexible, and eager to
help during a critical incident. Why not have the subject matter experts on your team to assist you in doing the
best job possible.
If you are a Communications Manager or Supervisor reading this, first of all, good for you. It is exciting when
management seek out other opportunities for dispatchers, as we all know there aren't many once in the field. The
questions you are probably asking are really, universal in nature and they are, 'How much is it going to cost me'
and 'How will it affect staffing'. Truth be told, you don't need to start with a team of 10 who respond to the
scene. You also don't need to start with a $400,000 Command Vehicle to make this work. One Tactical
Dispatcher with a pen and paper will go a long way to improving the way your department does business. If you
would like to see how this could benefit your department, your Communications Center and maybe more
importantly, YOUR staff, click here. Our Outreach Team would be more than happy to demonstrate the concepts
and ideas of Tactical Dispatch to you and your staff.
If you are a dispatcher wanting more information on implementing a team with your agency and would like more
information on the next step to take, click here. One of our Regional Directors will be in touch to work something
out and help you in any way we can.
| Tactical Dispatch - What is it? |
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It is important to know how someone becomes a Tactical Dispatcher before getting too far into
what it is they actually do. There is a 40-hour P.O.S.T. class which is put on from time to time
all throughout California. This class covers information like SWAT terminology, diagramming,
includes knowledge of command and tactical procedures, Command Post Operations, proper
documentation, information gathering, the use of different forms and logs, etc.
There is also a 24-hour Advanced Tactical Dispatch Course which reviews the basic class, which
includes a refresher of the basic course, case studies of some critical incidents, review and
updated use of logs, forms, etc.
Tactical Dispatching is using dispatchers at the scene of a critical incident to gather, document
and disseminate information, which in turn allows the Commanders to focus more clearly on the
task at hand and the ultimate safe resolution of the incident.
That is the book answer, but the real answer is that it can be many different things, depending
on how your department wants to set up the Tactical Dispatch Team.
what it is they actually do. There is a 40-hour P.O.S.T. class which is put on from time to time
all throughout California. This class covers information like SWAT terminology, diagramming,
includes knowledge of command and tactical procedures, Command Post Operations, proper
documentation, information gathering, the use of different forms and logs, etc.
There is also a 24-hour Advanced Tactical Dispatch Course which reviews the basic class, which
includes a refresher of the basic course, case studies of some critical incidents, review and
updated use of logs, forms, etc.
Tactical Dispatching is using dispatchers at the scene of a critical incident to gather, document
and disseminate information, which in turn allows the Commanders to focus more clearly on the
task at hand and the ultimate safe resolution of the incident.
That is the book answer, but the real answer is that it can be many different things, depending
on how your department wants to set up the Tactical Dispatch Team.
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