More Than 'Dispatchers:' Howell Chief Lauds Police Telecommunicators

HOWELL, NJ — Dispatchers are often thought of as just the person who answers the phone when an emergency call comes in.

Howell Township Police Chief Andrew J. Kudrick Jr. said their role is far more important than simply answering the phone.

"(It is) the most underrated and unappreciated yet the most stressful and important job in public service," Kudrick said Monday in a post on Facebook marking Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. "The term 'dispatcher' minimizes their actual job."

The police department is staffed 24/7 by both full and part-time public safety telecommunicators, he said.

"We are a 9-1-1 public safety answering point, meaning when someone calls 9-1-1 in Howell, they are directly contacted with Howell Police Communications," he said. On most occasions, the same PST who answers the 9-1-1 call is the same who enters the information into CAD, dispatches the appropriate units and handles the call to its conclusion, Kudrick said.

In Howell, public safety telecommuniators answer more than 100,000 phone calls each year, and more than 22,000 of those are 911 emergencies, Kudrick said. Telecommunicators enter more than 60,000 calls for service into the township's Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system for patrol, fire and EMS to handle. They are certified emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) trained to provide life-saving medical instructions over the telephone., he said.

"As an officer conducts a motor vehicle stop, they are "running" driver/registration background checks," Kudrick said. "For locations, they are checking history and involved parties — all so the officers have the most updated information available to them to ensure their safety. "

In addition, they conduct background checks on potential suspects for detectives, enter wanted and missing persons into a national database, and monitor and update the police department's social media "so the public is immediately made aware of important information," Kudrick said.

Public safety telecommunicators also have direct contact with citizens who come to police headquarters, he said.

"So as you see, they are more than just 'dispatchers,' " Kudrick said. "They are the central nerve system of public safety!"

"On behalf more than 150 sworn and civilian staff of the Howell Police Department and over 55,000 residents we provide service to, I extend a sincere thank you to our PSTs not only during this week of recognition but every day of the year," the chief said.

Public Safety Telecommunicators Kyle and Kubiel, who work the evening shift. Photo via Howell Township Police