It is the responsibility of the Call-Taker/Dispatcher to take routine and emergency calls from the public, members of the Belleville Police Service and other agencies. The Call-Taker/Dispatcher will dispatch members of the Belleville Police Service and the Deep River Police Service, as required.
Applicants for the Belleville Police Service position of Call-Taker/Dispatchers must meet or surpass the following minimum requirements and standards:
Recruitment steps for Call-Taker/Dispatcher:
How can I stay informed about new career opportunities?
Subscribe to our Career Alert and as soon as an opening matches your criteria, you will be notified by email with a link to view the opportunity. This career alert link will remain active for 90 days. You may unsubscribe from career alerts at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of the registration page.
Almost three years ago, Lindsay Rhodes joined Belleville Police Service as a full-time dispatcher, bringing with her a background in social services and supporting a wide range of individuals, including as a case worker for those struggling with mental health and addiction challenges.
Regarding advice for someone looking to get into this field, she suggested getting life experience first, and noted “I truly believe that all of the jobs I had prior to being a dispatcher helped me build the skills required to be successful in this career.”
In her role, Lindsay works on a four-on, four-off schedule, alternating between day and night shifts. Her responsibilities include answering both emergency and non-emergency calls, dispatching officers, and monitoring active situations to ensure public and officer safety. On top of this, she serves as a trainer for new dispatchers, teaching essential skills and overseeing communication to ensure smooth operations.
“The biggest skill you need is to be a strong communicator, both written and verbal,” she said. “You will be interacting with many different people within the station and within the community, we receive calls from young children, the elderly and every age in between, you need to be able to adapt and meet the needs of your callers whether they have a strong language barrier, mental health challenges or some sort of developmental or physical challenge.”
The job comes with unique challenges. Lindsay explained, “Some days and calls are really rewarding, but a lot of the callers are very upset. … You will have deaths, suicides, violence, domestics, and so many other disheartening calls that you will question if there are things you could’ve done differently to have a different outcome. It is important to do the best you can at all times and hope for the best outcome.”
For Lindsay, success is measured in safety. “Safety is success for me… That goes for officer safety too… You can never be too careful and this is not an area I will ever be neglectful in.”
Despite the high stakes, Lindsay finds immense fulfillment in the role and encourages those considering the role to pursue it. “I love that every day is different,” she said. “I also love the relationships I’ve built within the service, I feel so supported by everyone around me.”
