Dispatcher Responsibilities
Public safety dispatchers work in a state of the art dispatch center located within the Wellesley Police Department. This center houses the town's enhanced 911 public safety answering point, a nationwide teletype system, computer aided dispatch computers, the Wellesley fire alarm system, and numerous radio systems. Dispatchers not only dispatch Wellesley Police and Fire units, but also communicate with other towns and agencies via the extensive radio network. Dispatchers can communicate with almost any public safety agency in Eastern and Central Massachusetts.
Dispatchers also have the ability to track every Wellesley Police car through town through the use of the automatic vehicle locater (AVL) system. This system tracks the police cruiser on a large computer map of Wellesley. Dispatchers are able to instantly know the location of a car at the touch of a button. This allows the dispatcher to send the closest car to any emergency.
All 911 calls made with the confines of the town come into the ECC and are handled by Wellesley Police Public Safety Dispatchers.
Training
Wellesley public safety dispatchers receive extensive training. Upon being hired, dispatchers spend six weeks at a dispatch academy to become certified. They are also certified in the use of the automatic external defibrillator (AED), CPR, and are Massachusetts First Responders. Once they complete the academy, they work under the direction and supervision of a senior dispatcher, completing on the job training.
