Clarkstown Officials Justify Dispatcher Positions And Overtime

Clarkstown officials spoke at Tuesday night’s meeting about the workload and responsibilities of police dispatchers. They were responding to recent criticism of police salaries and overtime.  Chief Michael Sullivan said the job title of dispatcher could mislead people who do not realize the scope of work done.

Sullivan said dispatchers answer every call made to 9-1-1 and the main administrative line at the department. In 2012, those calls numbered 168,992 or 463 calls per day.  He said three dispatchers are on duty for each of the two daytime shifts and two dispatchers work the overnight shift. The department employs 12 dispatchers and one dispatcher coordinator.

“When you call the police department the first person you speak to is a police dispatcher,” he said.

Sullivan described the dispatcher’s role as sophisticated with extensive training, including medical training and how to deal with missing persons or suicidal calls. He considers them the actual first responders for directing the emergency response of the town’s volunteer ambulance corps and paramedic services. Sullivan said dispatchers work in tandem and one dispatcher can be coaching people through emergencies and providing medical instruction for cardiac attacks, drowning victims or severe lacerations while another dispatcher is sending officers and emergency vehicles to the scene.

During a tour last week of the police department communications center and emergency command center, town officials said last year’s overtime costs of $196,000 for dispatchers were driven up by illness, pregnancy and severe weather. The department expects a reimbursement of about $25,000 from FEMA for Hurricane Sandy and other major storms.  Supervisor Alex Gromack said overtime can be a valuable tool in some instances and result in savings versus hiring a fulltime employee with benefits.

“Overtime is not necessarily an abuse,” he said. “Sometimes it can be a fiscally responsible tool.”

Captain Anthony Ovchinnikoff said if they are short-handed or an emergency develops, police officers fill in the shifts.  He said that happens three or four times a week and there are between 15 and 20 officers who have the necessary training to dispatch.

In advance of bad weather more dispatchers will be assigned because of a likely increase in calls said Captain Robert Mahon.

“A lot of them may be mundane,” he said. “A lot of them may be true emergencies.”

Dispatchers work in a communications room lined with computer monitors and video screens. They can track where patrol cars are and use more than 150 security cameras throughout the town to scan activity at the Palisades Center, commuter parking lots, Route 59, Kevin Landau Park in New City, town hall and the police department. They check for National Weather Service updates and keep tabs on breaking local and national news and monitor nearby police department calls as well.

They are always aware of the call their colleague is handling.  

“You could be on the phone two to three minutes or you be could on the phone 10 minutes depending on the seriousness of the call,” said Dispatcher Brian Duddy.