By Tracy Manzer, Press – Telegram
Original publication date: April 14, 2011

Long Beach, Calif. — Our closest links to getting the help we need in an emergency were honored Thursday by the Long Beach Police Department as part of National Public Safety Dispatchers Week.

Deputy Police Chief Robert Luna and Deputy Chief JJ Craig were at the Emergency Communications and Operations Center to personally thank the police department’s team of dispatchers for their ability to stay calm in the most stressful situations and to ensure help is always on the way.

The deputy chiefs and other members of the department’s brass and rank-and-file treated the dispatchers to some sweets to get their morning started.

Long Beach Fire Department officials also thanked their dispatchers with a luncheon earlier this week.

For the LBPD Communications Team, the past year was busy, said Sgt. Rico Fernandez, a police department spokesman.

During 2010, the police department’s Communications Center handled:

259,864 9-1-1 calls (92-percent of the calls were answered within 10 seconds)

300,197 nonemergency calls (94-percent of the calls were answered within 10 seconds)

636,291 total calls answered (including internal and miscellaneous phone lines)

178,652 calls for service.

“Public Safety dispatchers are often seen as merely a voice on the otherof the phone or radio,” Fernandez said. “The truth is, they are the link between those in need and those who can help, and their support is invaluable.” 

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