Gemini Rising

Blog Week Post #7 - As The World Turns

FORUM

Blog Week Birthday Bastion 2024  (13+) Blogging event from September 1-7, 2024. Closed. #2277665 by WakeUpAndLive

Today’s Prompt for 7 SEP is:


The world is not an ideal place for lots of people. What can YOU do to make it better?


Word Count: 448

Okay, I drew a blank. And then I leaned back and said, waitaminute – I’m a 911 dispatcher for LAPD. And before that I was an MP in the US Army. I’ve been doing my part for over 35 years, now.

I’ve been working for LAPD as 911 dispatcher for 24 years now. The job is not an easy one to get. The hiring phase consisted of a written test, a typing test, an oral interview, a background check, and a medical check, before a job offer. It took 7 months from putting in the application to the hiring date. I was hired in FEB 2000. Training took a year, and I was on probation for 6 before being considering officially hired. One aspect of my job is to talk to the officers on the air. They make all kinds of requests from traffic stops to Help calls. When the LA Lakers 3-peated in the early aughts, the celebration set the city on fire. Lots of help calls that day. It’s very important to be quick and accurate for officer safety when you talk to them on the phone. Another aspect of my job is talking to the callers and creating calls for service. Talking to callers is never easy. They yell at you and talk down to you even though they want the police’s help. I’ve taken very serious calls such as shootings and stabbings. Since covid, a lot of calls we used to go out on to take a report is now an online report. The citizens don’t like that, too much. They want the police to come out, but defund the police policies have cut the budget and there’s no way around that. A dispatcher is always heard, but never seen. I’ve taken funny calls and I’ve taken life threatening calls, but I know after I’ve put in a hard day’s work on the phones, that I’ve done my best to help the citizens of Los Angeles.

As an MP in the US Army, I helped provide physical security of nuke sites in Germany and law enforcement duties on Ft. Irwin.

I’ve also served as a scout leader for the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts as my sons were going through the program and I’ve serviced as a religious education teacher in my school. Working in religious education is something I’ve been doing since I was a teenager. I’ve been service to others since my teens, but it’s not something I think about too much. I’m just happy to help others. Until a majority of people learn to take responsibility for their actions, there’s not much to be done to help the world. But I try.