 |
 |
|
December 2006 PSAP Profile – Deer Park Police Department  Congratulations to the Deer Park Police Department for recently receiving its accreditation. A great deal of work was involved in the process. Chief Bill Young and Cyndi Wilson, Dispatch Supervisor recently shared some information about its communications division and its recent accreditation process.Chief Young is very proud of his department’s recent accreditation. The process included a complete analysis of all departments. “They were especially complimentary of the communications division. The entire agency received a good report card,” said Chief Young. The police department moved into its new state-of-the-art building in 2004. “Every detail was thought out,” said Young. The building was designed with thorough planning for where each division should be placed and with plenty of room to grow. The Deer Park Communications division handles 9-1-1 and 10-digit administrative calls for the city of Deer Park (population 32,000 citizens). There are eight communications personnel. The center dispatches an average of 18,000 calls. Supervisor Profile: Cyndi Wilson  Cyndi Wilson, a supervisor for four years has worked in emergency communications for 16 years. She was elected in October 2006 as the 2nd Vice President of the Texas Chapter of APCO. She will become President in 2010, just in time for the International APCO conference in Houston.Her favorite part of working in communications is that it is never the same. When asked about her least favorite part, Wilson said, “You rarely hear good things about 9-1-1, only the bad,” said Wilson. She is most proud of the communication division’s ability to be a team. During Hurricane Rita, not one dispatcher complained about working. Wilson says the biggest headache for dispatchers is being away from their families because of the holidays and long hours, because 9-1-1 always comes first. Crazy Calls – A memorable call for Wilson is when a citizen called 9-1-1 to make a complaint to Marvin Zindler, but didn’t know how to contact him. Stressful Calls – 9-1-1 calls involving kids are the hardest to handle. She also commented that it is not always possible to take a break after a traumatic call. Wilson’s advice to dispatchers – “just because it may seem insignificant to you, it doesn’t mean it is to the caller. All calls need to be taken seriously.” |