Phoenix Police Dispatcher Uses Coloring To Cope With Stress

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

April 17, 2020 1:00 PM

It is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. We are recognizing the more than 200 dispatchers who staff the Phoenix Police Communications Bureau and handle approximately two million calls for service every year. They are the hidden heroes with headsets, providing help to those who need it. Cherise Dormer is a Police Communications Operator. She works third shift, meaning she is working while most of the city is sleeping.

She not only takes in 9-1-1 calls, but also dispatches. “Taking the calls can be difficult,” Dormer said. “Listening to people’s worst moments in their life and trying to stay calm and help them through it can be very stressful at times.” Each person handles the stress differently. Cherise finds that coloring can be therapeutic. “Lots of my coworkers color,” Dormer explained. “I'm not really sure why it's a trend. Maybe other people have found it relaxing and relieve the stresses of their own job.”She colors everything from flowers to animals, it doesn’t matter. The important part is that this serves as an outlet for the pressures of the profession.“I enjoy coloring on my downtime – on my breaks,” Dormer said. “After a stressful call, it's nice to go on a break and relax by coloring.”

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.