Full Notification

National Public Safety Telecommunications Appreciation Week

The week of April 13-19, 2014 is National Public Safety Telecommunications Appreciation week, also known as “Dispatcher Appreciation Week.”

The Burbank Police Department’s (BPD) Communications Center is staffed by 3 to 4 Communication Operators per shift. They handle an average of 11,000 non-emergency calls, and 2,500 9-1-1 calls per month. In order to provide the community with a professional service, the Communications Center also has direct access to language service lines which provide translation services in almost every language. They also have access to TTY/TDD for the deaf/hard of hearing, and some Spanish or Armenian speaking personnel.

Communications Center personnel are considered to be the true “First Responders.” They are the first to respond to the needs of the public when they call in for assistance. Communications Center personnel provide a calm demeanor to citizens and victims in distress. In high stress situations, they are compassionate yet diligent in ascertaining important information necessary to provide to the responding units when time is of the essence.

Although their jobs do not put them in “harm’s way,” Communications Operators make critical life-saving decisions on a regular basis. They take great pride regarding the welfare of our community members and keeping the officers of the Burbank Police Department safe.

In 2013, the Burbank Police Department Communications Center became the second dispatch center in the state to be certified by the National Center for Missing Exploited Children (NCMEC). The certification process included meeting training and policy standards established by NCMEC.

On behalf of the Burbank Police Department, we would like to say “Thank You” for your dedication, hard work, and compassion you display every day in keeping our officers and our community safe.