3 | Your first day on the job

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You will shadow another Qualified Dispatcher to begin with, to see how they handle calls, how they communicate with the active units and how they keep the CAD up to date with the relevant information needed.

 

After you have seen this you will then be given a training call to handle where you will coordinate with active units dispatching them to a call and dealing with their request and keeping the CAD up to date with the correct information 

 

After you have successfully completed the training call you will then be put on the live system where you will be dealing with active 999 calls and sending units to real calls, you will have a qualified dispatcher watching over you who is there to support you and point you in the right direction but you will ultimately be in charge of that situation 

 

After the above has been completed you will be left free on the system as a dispatcher there will still be a qualified dispatcher there who can help and support you 

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4 | Response Grades

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As a Dispatcher it is your job to determine the grade in which the units will respond in remember not all calls need a Grade 1 response 

 

Emergency Contact  Grade 1 

Emergency Response - An emergency contact will result in an immediate emergency police response. A Grade 1 Emergency Response is where there is, or is likely to be, a risk of: • Danger to life. • Use or immediate threat of use, of violence. • Serious injury to a person and/or serious damage to property. • A crime is, or is likely to be, serious and in progress. • An offender for a crime has just been disturbed at the scene of the crime. • An offender for a crime has been detained and poses, or is likely to pose, a risk to other people. • A Road Traffic Collision (RTC) involves or is likely to involve serious personal injury, the road is blocked or there is a dangerous or excessive build-up of traffic.

 

Non-Emergency Contact  Grade 2

Priority Response - This describes a Priority Response which acknowledges that there is a degree of importance or urgency associated with initial police action, but an Emergency Response is NOT required. These typically arise in the circumstances where: • There is a genuine concern for somebody's safety. • An offender has been detained. • A witness may leave the scene or other evidence is likely to be lost. • At a road collision, there are injuries or a serious obstruction. • A person involved is suffering from distress or is otherwise deemed to be vulnerable or there is concern for the person’s wellbeing. • Local Force policy mandates a Priority Response at, for example, a report of domestic incident, sudden death or missing person where such local / Force priorities exist and affects grading. • Hate crime or Anti-Social Behaviour where such a crime or incident is a local policing priority AND affects grading.

 

Grade 3 

Scheduled - In these circumstances it is accepted that the needs of the caller can be met through scheduling because: • Using THRIVE the call handler is satisfied that a planned deployment is appropriate. • The matter is service-orientated, and a better quality of initial police action can be taken if it is dealt with by either a pre-arranged police response or by another appropriate resource, attendance at police premises or by the IRC or Local Resolution Team (LRT).

 

Grade 4

Resolution without Deployment - applies when the Force meets the needs of the caller by such means as telephone advice or Helpdesk, a crime is fully investigated and filed at source without the need to deploy other resources. This will include where the caller is a member of staff carrying out an activity which requires the creation of an Incident log but not one which requires a controller to actively seek a unit for deployment; In other words where the staff member has effectively assigned themselves. Typically, this will be where no other units are required to assist. 

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5 | What units do I Dispatch?

 

ERPT

Emergency Response and Patrol (ERPT) is the foundation for an Officer’s career in the Metropolitan Police. ERPT deal with the largest variety of calls and can be a very exciting and fulfilling role.

 

ERPT are the largest division within the MET, and officers can use their time in ERPT to learn essential skills and gain a thorough knowledge of policing whilst on ERPT, before progressing onto specialist departments, or taking on responsibilities in senior officer positions, if desired. The vehicles that ERPT officers have access to are varied and exciting, with more unlocking as officers progress into senior ranks.

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RPU

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Roads policing is mainly viewed as simply enforcing the rules of the road but its full remit is much broader.

 

• Deters and detects illegal, dangerous and careless behaviour on the road

• Identifies offenders and the causes of crashes

• Educates and seeks to change the attitudes of road users

• Identifies and removes dangerous vehicles

• Prevents other forms of crime

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ARU/ARV

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Armed Response Units

Armed response units / firearms units are teams of armed Police Officers tasked with countering crimes committed by armed criminals. Each UK constabulary / force has some form of firearms team. They can be deployed to the most dangerous incidents where weapons and firearms are identified.

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CID

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CID deals with investigations into serious crimes. These count as robberies, burglaries, sexual offences, fraud, serious assaults, and murders. CID officers sometimes assist uniformed officers in investigating less serious crimes, such as theft.

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TAC OPS & NPAS

The Met's Dog Support Unit is a team of specialist officers who provide 24 hours a day, seven days a week support, to colleagues across the Met where they may need dogs to undertake searches. Our specialist dogs are trained to find items like drugs, explosives, money and human remains

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Police air support plays a key role in tackling crime and protecting the public:

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• Searching for suspects or missing persons

• Reconnaissance ahead of planned operations

• Supporting public order operations, including live feeds of video to commanders on the ground

• Assisting with vehicle pursuits

• Search large areas quickly

• Provide an aerial overview of a situation, minimising risk to members of the public and police officers

• A visible and powerful deterrent ensuring communities are safe and feel safer

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6 | Phonetic Alphabet

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