Police Communication Training

Police communication training includes the proper use of radios.

Police officers and support personnel require specific training in effective communication procedures. Breakdowns in this area could mean serious injuries or even death to citizens.

911 Training

The 911 operators form the front lines of police communication and must be trained properly to answer emergency calls. The phone system identifies the telephone number and searches for the name and address. Computer-aided dispatch routes the call to a dispatcher. The system confirms the caller's location and displays the closest cross streets. Some more advanced systems pull up location maps.

Subjects

Police communication training covers a wide variety of topics. Just a few may include suicide intervention, understanding domestic violence, emergency medical and fire dispatch and ethics and liability.

Equipment

Police and support personnel also receive specialized training in how to operate the technical and advanced equipment for the department. Some of this equipment includes telephone equipment, upgraded radio systems with a variety of channels for specific uses, call answering machines, voice activated recorders and telephone equipment. Due to the rapid advancements in the communications field, personnel need to attend ongoing training.

References

• Oakland Police Academy: Dispatch Training
• City of Bethlehem, PA, Police Department: Communication Center
• Knox County, TN: Technology
• Boston.com: New Peabody Police 911 Dispatch Center Nears Completion