Donovan Magginis, 36, is a Communications Supervisor I for the Tampa (Fla.) Police Department. He has been in this position seven years but has worked for the agency for 15 years. He began his career as a call taker/dispatcher and performed in the role for approximately three years before moving on to become a trainer and then a supervisor.

He recalls, with a chuckle, that while in training himself, he was working a midnight shift when his trainer stepped out for a few moments. During the time Maginnis was alone, the emergency call light came on so he decided to log on and take the call. It turned out to be a routine alarm call, yet despite the fact that he handled it well his trainer was not pleased that he answered without another being present.

Maginnis points out that there are a number of important skills necessary to perform in the role of call taker/dispatcher: multi-tasking, good decision-making, the ability to visualize and know what the officer is doing on the radio as well as the ability to empathize and understand what the caller is dealing with.

Maginnis has gone on ride-alongs in his career and feels they are “absolutely” helpful. He suggests dispatchers ride with an officer they know, because that will usually lead to a more engaging experience.

Most of his friends work in the criminal justice field. He acknowledges, “No one [else] works these hours. It helps a lot of our peers having friends in criminal justice. It can relieve the stress in similar ways. It’s easier to share feelings when in it together, ” Meginnis says.

He admits his job can be stressful, so when he is not working he enjoys being with nature—in the sun, out in the woods and spending time in parks with his children. Maginnis is married with two twins—a boy and a girl, both age 6.

Maginnis works 10-hour shifts with three days off. In his off time, he serves as an adjunct professor of public safety at Hillsborough Community College. He runs the program for the public safety telecommunications course and serves as the program coordinator. Maginnins recently conducted a training class for dispatchers, and he teaches professional-level continuing education for dispatchers as well. He also wrote a 90-page training manual.

Maginnis has dealt with a variety of calls throughout his career. He admits that suicide calls can often be the most dreaded and difficult calls because it can be difficult to establish rapport with the person on the other end of the phone. He says there are those calls when individuals are ready to implement a plan and kill themselves. The dispatcher can hear shots while on the phone. Then, there are others who are contemplating it. “We do deal with a lot of people who are thinking about it,” Maginnis says.

In addition, domestic violent calls are prevalent. Maginnis says that it is nice to be able to help in a situation where one can. “When you do really well on a domestic [call] and you get excited utterance from the victim and use it in court to seal the deal, it feels good,” Maginnis says. What is disappointing to him, however, is to see the same address come up again and again which indicates the cycle of violence is repeating.

There are always those calls that a dispatcher never forgets. Maginnis recalls a time when a man had killed people in Northern Florida. A call was made from Tampa and officers responded, saw the car, and began a pursuit. The man crashed the car and held a passerby hostage. He issued a count-down to kill the hostage. The incident involved not only a chase but a three hour stand-off, and the police wound up killing the suspect. The hostage was only slightly injured.|

Maginnis has received a number of awards throughout his career in the Tampa Police Department. He has received several “Employee of the Month” awards throughout his tenure. In 2002, he received the award for the implementation of new procedures and programs. In 2012, he received it for the work he did related to the Republican National Convention that was held in Tampa. He was involved in the coordination and collaboration of dispatchers from other areas to work together effectively. “That was a really neat event,” Maginnis says. In 2003, Maginnis received an Excellent Duty Award from his agency for a hostage situation he handled.
Tampa handles numerous and frequent special events, and Maginnis is supervisor of the local Tactical Dispatch Team. He also conducts orientation for the Citizen Police Academy. “It’s neat to be able to do that,” he says. He also finds time to attend neighborhood watch meetings. “It’s fun to be involved in the community,” he says, and acknowledges the usefulness of the good rapport it provides.

“I like working in Tampa. It is a really great agency. There is a lot of motivation,” he says. Undoubtedly, that motivation plays a major role in Maginnis being the busy, involved, and dedicated professional that he is, and one who obviously enjoys what he does.