Every second week of April, law enforcement agencies recognize the people they consider "the true first responders to the community in times of crisis."
This is National Public Telecommunicators Week, where those who take and dispatch calls for the 911 centers across the country are honored.
The Jefferson City Police Department's 911 center takes the calls for service for the Jefferson City police and fire departments, Jefferson City Animal Control, Cole County Sheriffs Department, Cole County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), as well as the Cole County Fire Protection District, Regional West Fire Protection District, Osage Fire Protection District and the Russellville/Lohman Fire Protection District.
JCPD 911 operators work 10-hour shifts to provide service 24 hours a day.
Along with receiving and dispatching 911 calls, the operators also maintain records on warrants and orders of protection. JCPD is authorized to have a 911 staff of 20, three of those positions are supervisors.
Last year, the JCPD 911 Communications Center answered approximately 130,000 phone calls resulting in 90,000 calls for service on a variety of emergency calls.
Typical qualifications to be a 911 operator include a high school diploma, ability to type 40 words per minute and good speech/clarity, as well as an ability to concentrate on multiple tasks and perform effectively in emergency situations.
A trainee goes through 20 weeks of training, 18 of which are with another operator. A supervisor observes them for a week before determining if an operator can work on his or her own.