I asked this question before but now am really unsure. I have no prior experience as a dispatcher whatsoever. I went to observe last night for a few hours and really liked it. It is good money...18/hr plus opportunity for tons of overtime. It is a small police department with 3 dispatchers. I liked it but am unsure that I will be able to multitask etc. There is 4 months of training involved. It is a great police department but if you are not making it in training they will let you know that this line of work is not for you. They may ask me to sign a conditional offer of employment this week.
On the other hand, I have an opportunity to be a probation officer. I have two bachelor's degrees and could put them to use. I would also have to go to the academy for 3 months which is cool. It pays only $14/hr with probably not alot of opportunity for overtime. I know I can do probation. I just don't want to accept dispatcher and then not make it through training and miss the academy. Help!
2007-11-11 04:37:04 · 3 answers · asked by kjb131313 1 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
Both jobs can be very stressfull but very rewarding at the same time. A dispatcher deals with all of the incoming calls to a police station which can be something as simple as answering a question or as complicated as saving a person's life. A probation officer is responsible for the supervision of people convicted of misdemeanor and/or felony offenses.
In making your decision between the two jobs, you may want to ask youself if you are good at handling situations while under extreme pressure (which you are bound to face as a dispatcher) or if you are better at dealing with people one on one. Pay and overtime on both jobs varies from department to department. Most probation officers are salaried while dispatchers are hourly. As a probation officer any overtime is not compensated with money however you may accrue paid time off instead. Dispatchers are usually compensated for overtime with cash. Again you have to look at if you are going to be working for a small, suburban department versus a larger urban one. Even though the general job description for both positions is usually universally the same, the situations you face may vary depending upon the size of the dpeartment and the area that you serve in.
2007-11-11 06:08:19 · answer #1 · answered by siamsa_siamsa 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
DEPENDS ON YOU?
DISPATCHER IS NOT A HARD JOB BUT AND EASY ONE. MULTITASKING WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE IN BOTH JOBS. IN DISPATCH YOU GET A CALL, SCREEN THE CALLERS WANT, DISPATCH A CAR TO DETAIL AND ADVISE THE OFFICER(S0 OF THE IMPENDING SITUATION. THE PAY IS GOOD AND O/T YOU COULD MAKE A LOT OF MONEY.
ON THE OTHER HAND P/O HAS A LOT OF MULTITASKING. 200 CASE LOAD USUALLY. YOU MUST KEEP TRACK OF EACH PERSONS WHEREABOUTS AND FILE A MONTHLY, QUARTERLY AND YEARLY REPORT ON EACH CLIENT TO THE COURT.
DEPEND ON WEATHER YOU LIKE CHASING DOWN FLEEING AND MISSING PROBATIONERS AT 4AM OR WORKING AT A DISPATCHER JOB AND NOT WORRY ABOUT LOOKING FOR SOMEONE, GETTING SHOT A OR JUST BE THE EYES, EARS AND RIGHT ARM OF THE OFFICER AS YOU ASSIST EACH CALL.
I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR BOTH JOBS AND HAVE WORKED BOTH. PERSONALLY, LOOKING BACK AT IT I
CHAISE TO BECOME A SHERIFF / OFFICER AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. LIKED THE CHASE AND UNKNOWN FACTOR?
2007-11-11 05:07:17 · answer #2 · answered by ahsoasho2u2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i can answer this with alot of certaincy you should be a probation officer they have alot more advancement opprotunities than you think a friend of mine who started as a PO is now working with the state law enforcement division and that is only one step below FBI from being a PO their is a broad spectrum of opprotunities that as a dispatcher you would only have with alot more training and harder work
2007-11-11 04:52:48 · answer #3 · answered by andycoleman7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋