Skagit Valley College

Catalog Course Search Details

 Course Title:   Emergency Communications Dispatcher

 Title Abbreviation:   EMERGEN COMMUN DISPATCH

 Department:    CJ

 Course #:    145

 Credits:    5

 Variable:     No

 IUs:    5

 CIP:    430103

 EPC:    832

 REV:    2021


 Course Description  

Introduction to emergency police dispatcher/call taker. Includes radio terminology and verbiage, voice inflection, call-taking skills, and problem-solving in off-site situations.

 Prerequisite  

Prerequisite: None.

Additional Course Details

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 55

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0


Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Supplementary Elective  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Other Institution Equivalencies Table
Institution Course # Remarks
N/A

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

  1. Be knowledgeable of police response protocols.
  2. Recite the terminology commonly associated with police services dispatching.
  3. Know essential telecommunications terminology and practices
  4. Be knowledgeable of legal issues associated with police services dispatching.
  5. Identify and demonstrate caller management techniques consistent with local needs.
  6. Be cognizant of how cultures are impacted by the implications of emergency response, and how the emergency services dispatcher must provide an essential link in non-English speaking circumstances.
  7. Consider quality improvement in all areas of public services emergency dispatching and call-taking.
  8. Articulate and demonstrate dispatch principles of safety and problem-solving to off-site callers and responders.
  9. Know the difference between response jurisdictions and the services they provide.
  10. Identify various resources in the response community that can assist during police responses and crisis intervention.
  11. Be cognizant of the sources and mitigation of, dispatcher stress encountered in police emergency dispatching.
  12. Communicate various procedures over the telephone.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

Course Contents

  1. Classes will be composed of modules that are components of and approved by the National / International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. These modules include:
    • Police Protocol.
    • Telecommunications Essentials.
    • Legal Issues.
    • Dispatch stress.
    • Quality Improvement.
    • Dispatch Principles.
    • Police Operations.
    • Special operations and unusual occurrences.
    • Multicultural populations.
    • Communication.
  2. These class modules will also speak to practices that are reflective of local agency policies. Delivery and supervision will occur under the auspices of the local and NAIED curriculum.