November 19, 1996

To: Lt. Xxxxxx, Communications Center

From: Chief Dispatcher Xxxxxx Xxxxxx

Re: Internal Personnel Compalint Against Dispatcher X. Xxxxxx
Violation of Police Regulation 201-3

The memorandum documents X. Xxxxxx's failure to properly handle a citizen's telephone call on Wednesday, November 20, 1996, a violation of the following Police Regulation:

Police Regulation 26-1.2: "Individual Responsibilities of Officers and Employees": Each officer and employee of the Department is individually responsible for: a) The proper execution of assigned duties; h) Adherence to rules, regulations, order and Departmental procedures.

I was working police radio at console #4 at about 2055 hours when I heard Dispatcher Xxxxxx answer a telephone call at console #5. She talked with the person for about one minute regarding an incident that the caller had previously reported to the police. She then put the caller on hold and immediately picked up another line. From her part of the conversation, it sounded as if the second call was personal.

I picked up the line on "hold" to help the person and learned it was a man who had earlier reported a burglary and wanted to know how soon an officer would arrive. Since I was working police radio, I was able to give the man an estimate. I hung up with the citizen, and Xxxxx was still talking on the second call she picked up.

To clarify the nature of the second call that Xxxxx picked up, I listened to the logging tape of the two calls. I heard Xxxxx talk to the burglary victim for one minute 53 seconds. She then told the man, "Hang on," and immediately put him on hold. Xxxxx then picked up the second line and talked to a male. That conversation lasted two minutes 57 seconds. During the call Xxxxx discussed some travel plans she and the caller were making. No business-related conversation took place during this call.

Her actions were in violation of comm center guidelines that specifically restrict personal calls from the console to those which are "brief and necessary." The guidelines also require a dispatcher to end a personal call if a business call is ringing or on hold, and to put callers on hold, "only after they have been asked if they can be put on hold, and they provide an answer."

Dispatcher Xxxxxx was counseled about this same issue in October 1995, after she put a business call on hold to take a personal call. At a counseling session I had with Xxxxx on October 6, 1995 I explained to her that she was not to put business calls on hold to take a personal call, and that she was forthwith restricted from making or taking any personal calls while working at a console. I explained to Xxxxx that any future violation of the restriction might result in a formal personnel complaint and possible discipline.

Our ability to deliver quality service to the citizens of Xxxxxx depends upon the recognition that their telephone calls for service and information must come before any personal endeavor. Based on the above information and the accompanying tape of the telephone calls, I request that disciplinary action be taken against Dispatcher Xxxxxx.