| One of the busiest divisions found at the Burke County Sheriff's Office is Telecommunications. This high-energy position demands qualified personnel who are gifted with multi-tasking abilities. Imagine the responsibility of keeping up with seven administrative telephone lines, three "911" emergency telephone lines, a TTY telephone line for the hearing impaired, an "RUOK?" computer terminal to assist the elderly, panic alarms for courtrooms, a three-screen computer aided dispatch system, and several radio channels! A telecommunicator is also charged with knowing the location and status of numerous officers answering calls for service or serving warrants for arrest! |
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| This Sheriff's Office
telecommunications division is comprised of eight telecommunicators, or
"dispatchers." Two telecommunicators are assigned to the four patrol divisions
and work the schedule of the shift. This stressful position requires tact, being assertive, an ability to prioritize calls, and good common sense knowledge. A telecommunicator never knows what type of situation the ringing of the telephone will hold. It may be a caller threatening suicide, a person who just witnessed unruly juveniles putting firecrackers into mailboxes, or someone merely wishing to know the location of a certain road. At times, each of the aforementioned situations may be on different lines at once. In addition, an officer may simultaneously be calling in on the radio because he is in pursuit of a stolen vehicle, or is checking out of his vehicle to attempt service on felony warrants. Being a successful telecommunicator requires the talent to prioritize and handle these situations without breaking under the pressure. A recent audit of the telephone system made during a twenty-four hour period showed that telecommunicators received over 1000 telephone calls! |
| In April, 2004, Burke County went live with "CAD" (Computer Aided Dispatch), a high-tech system which allows telecommunicators to enter "call for service" information into a computer database. The database is shared with the Morganton Department of Public Safety, Drexel Police Department, Valdese Police Department, and Burke County Emergency Services. This valuable tools shows law enforcement and emergency personnel how many times they have responded to a residence, and the reason they were dispatched. The system also posts warning alerts, which allows the telecommunicator to tell responding emergency personnel about dangers occurring at the residence in the past (i.e. armed suspects, a known combative person, etc.). |
| To make a call for service, call (828) 438-5500. If you live in Burke County, you may dial 911 (emergencies only). Telecommunicator comments may be sent to the patrol division via e-mail at patrol@burkesheriff.org. |