San Mateo Police Recognize Local Dispatchers

The San Mateo Police Department is recognizing its dispatchers this week as part of National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, which runs from April 14-20.

Sponsored by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International and celebrated annually, dispatchers' week honors the thousands of men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance to the world’s citizens. 

The San Mateo Dispatch Center is a division of the Police Department and dispatches for about 120 officers in two agencies.

The San Mateo Dispatch team is known throughout the County for its professionalism and desire to serve the public. 

Each year, San Mateo Public Safety Dispatchers are responsible for: 

• Dispatching more than 50,000 calls for service 
• Answering over 300,000 telephone calls 
• Handling more than 40,000 9-1-1 calls 
• All done while managing over 2 million radio transmissions with SMPD Officers and Staff. 

SMPD’s Dispatch Center provides contract dispatch services to the City of Brisbane and is currently seeking to expand that role as a regional dispatch services provider. The City of San Mateo’s dispatch center houses one of the County’s newest state-of-the-art communications facilities. 

The Dispatchers work in a team environment 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dispatchers are trained in department policies, procedures and systems. Operating as a Public Safety Dispatcher requires a strong work ethic, strong customer service skills and strong interpersonal skills. 

Dispatchers receive incoming calls for police and fire for a number of local jurisdictions and dispatch necessary units using a computer aided dispatch system. They determine the nature, location, and priority of an emergency, and coordinate the response of police, fire, ambulance or other emergency units. 

Dispatchers also compile statistics on calls received, and play an integral part in the information made available to the public at www.crimereports.com . 

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• Firefighters Battle Early Morning Blaze in San Mateo
• San Mateo to Implement Reusable Bag Ordinance
• Drill Will Determine if County is Ready for Major Health Emergency