A police dispatcher works at a police station and provides coordinational services between the various officers working at that station. In general, the job of a police dispatcher is to receive emergency calls and other information about incidents and send police units to the location to investigate. Additionally, police dispatchers may issue backup and other forms of assistance for officers in need; they may also be required to navigate more specialized police units (like SWAT teams) in their operations, providing them with information and other tactical assistance.
Becoming a police dispatcher isn’t difficult, and most of the skills required for the job can be learned in the course of employment. A good, clear manner of speaking is required for being a good dispatcher, as well as the ability to coherently communicate with several people at once and provide a good link of communication between them. Dispatchers may sometimes be required to work in teams when there’s a more major situation that needs to be handled, and the job may be quite stressful and demanding in some situations.
The salary of a police dispatcher ranges between $25,000 – $41,000 a year, and is mainly dictated by the amount of work imposed over the dispatcher. In busier periods when there’s a lot to be done, the salary goes up accordingly, while slower months without much to be coordinated can result in lower earnings for the dispatcher. Additionally, the job sometimes has extra long working hours which aren’t always compensated for.