Comments on: 911 Call Leads Police To 3 Kidnap Victims

By: Arnika

Arnika — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:36:27 +0000

There are sources from which you can learn compassion or empathy. I think they should be obligatory trainings in schools and work places. Here are the most popular ones I know:

– Marshall B. Rosenberg’s Non-Violent Communication (NVC) – http://www.cnvc.org
– Thomas Gordon’s Parent Effectiveness Training (PET), Thomas Gordon’s Teacher Effectiveness Training (TET), Thomas Gordon’s Leader Effectiveness Training (LET) – http://www.gordontraining.com
– cultureofempathy.com

If you can’t take any training, you can buy the book!

These books/trainings that teach compassion also teach interpersonal communication skills.

By: Tella

Tella — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:50:28 +0000

You are very welcome, Gary. It is hard to focus on anything but this horrible crime when hearing about it. It is a great deal to take in, but in a 911 office, there is always more.

I do hope this call and resulting fall out, on many levels, prompts some serious discussion about the way this situation was handled, once in the public eye. I can’t stop thinking about the 3 incredibly strong women at the center, and how some of the internet fodder of this traumatic situation might make them feel, years down the line.

By: Gary Allen

Gary Allen — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:59:21 +0000

Thanks very much for helping clarify what we should all have realized—the situation was much more layered than was apparent from a single 911 call.

By: Tella

Tella — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:16:49 +0000

I know I am a week late to this conversation, but I have to add to it. Perhaps some of you have actually received answers to your questions, but with no help from the media (or social media which is a huge difference), and that is why the conversation has stopped. I myself (dispatcher of 10 years) wondered why Amanda's dispatcher did not ask more questions, so I looked for possible answers. I did not find any until I listened to Charles Ramsey's uncensored call. That is when I found out Charles and Amanda calls came into the center at almost the exact same time. The dispatcher who handled Charles Ramsey's call asked most, if not all, of the questions Amanda's dispatcher was slammed for not asking. Charles was able to provide more answers than Amanda due to her understandably upset state. Amanda's dispatcher got the suspect information that Charles Ramsey could not provide, and ended the call. I heard one call where Amanda's dispatcher hung up and contacted someone else about needing to look at the kidnapping call. This could have been the channel dispatchers, or a supervisor, or ... For all I know Amanda's dispatcher could have had other high priority calls on hold, or coming in, as well. It is common. Do I think this was 100% perfect? No, but it was still a fantastic group effort and response. It is true that 60-70% of 911 calls in agencies all over the U.S. are now non-emergencies. Education on this is lacking, and it puts a strain on dispatchers. Also, any member of the publicis now free to record 911 calls off their television, potentially edit things in or out of the call, and post it on Youtube. Humiliating GIFs (captioned pictures) of Charles Ramsey were created for internet sport. In some unedited versions of calls, handed out to irresponsible hands, his phone number was provided to the public and he has been bombarded with calls. All the while both dispatchers have been ripped apart, based on limited facts and opinions. As a person who loves my job, I am crushed by the mockery has been of it. And also being made of those who call.

By: Woody

Woody — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:19:54 +0000

I think the dispatcher could have done her job better. Here’s the immediate questions in my mind. Why wasnt the caller kept on the phone, especially in a situation like that? To me that is a priority that you keep on the phone, Why wasnt info asked on suspects, weapons, descriptions, does she(the caller) need ems? Is anyone else in the house, description of vehicles, where are the other people in the house.. Basic calltaking skills that simply were not followed in my opinion.

Speaking as a dispatcher with almost 18 years on the job and 10 as a trainer, yes the dispatcher did her job but I don’t think she did it well and could have done it much better. We cannot let complancy get the better of us..

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:39:26 +0000

The dispatcher did her job, that is get an excact location, even a one or two house number difference could be another block or street away. It sounds like the call was correctly graded and passed within a minute and a half to the radio dispatchers, which is what a competant dispatcher would do. Dispatchers are trained not to react emtionally to what they here, they need to remain cool, calm and level headed so that can make decesions, under stress and in a short period of time. If the phones are ringing of the hook then you need to plough through the calls, as that next one waiting could also be a life or death emegrency, you simply do not know till you answer that call. It is very easy to be critical with hindsight.

By: Anny

Anny — Sat, 11 May 2013 13:39:56 +0000

The dispatcher did exactly what they were supposed to do : Get location, what is going on, and try to get a description of the actor. If Ms. Berry would have said, “Stay on the phone with me” then you stay on the phone, otherwise, you hang up, dispatch the call and answer the next call that is ALWAYS coming in. Remember this, 75% of the police/ems calls we as dispatchers take are pure BS. We are trained to be professional and not get emotionally caught up in calls. We have to be in control, it makes us sound cold and distant, but that is our job. You have no idea what it is like in a 911 center until your butt is in that chair, don’t be so quick to judge.

By: JH

JH — Sat, 11 May 2013 01:36:48 +0000

Allow me to give some perspective…yes the dispatcher sounded unempathetic and should have stayed on the line given the situation. However we dont know what other calls this call taker handled today or if the phones were ringing off the hook or what all was going on in this call center. If youve been working for hours on end with non stop phone ringing going from call to call to call your bound to sound stressed to people after awhile. Bottom line is the call taker sent an officer and an officer got there and rescued these poor women. Keep her on the phone next time but good job otherwise. Keep the whole picture in mind when your judging people.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 10 May 2013 01:39:51 +0000

I didn’t think that the Amanda Berry dispatcher was that bad compared to other recordings I’ve heard. Why do so many dispatcher’s sound rude and uneducated? A lot of them even sound annoyed. Wouldn’t a 911 dispatcher, that is handling life and death situations, need to meet strict requirements and have strong communication skills?

By: Haveaheart

Haveaheart — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:15:38 +0000

She should be fired. I realize this is probably a routine job and the pay probably isn’t the greatest but, there is no excuse at all for her lack of empathy for the caller. She acted like the person calling was bothering her and she had better things she could be doing. How about sending these operators to compassion training. Pitiful and disgusting!