14-005: Desk Response Procedures



PURPOSE

The purpose of this order is to establish procedures for monitoring response times to calls and desk responsibilities on delayed response from field units.

 

ORDER

Desk Personnel
In order to provide the citizens of Compton and the surrounding unincorporated areas a reasonable expectation of timely service, desk personnel (dispatcher and watch deputy) shall continually monitor calls for service dispatched to field personnel.  These calls shall be monitored for acknowledgement, enroute time, arrival time, completion time, and hold time duration (if applicable).

Dispatcher's Responsibility
The dispatcher shall monitor all calls sent to field units that are indicated on the dispatcher's terminal.  The dispatcher shall inquire on all calls that field personnel have not arrived to within the established response thresholds.  The dispatcher shall actively monitor the status of all field units that are shown to be dispatchable.  The dispatcher shall issue calls for service to all available personnel in order to minimize response times.

Any calls with a justifiable, extended response time shall be reassigned to another available unit to ensure personnel arrived at the call within a reasonable amount of time.  Any call with an unexplained, extended response time shall have a field sergeant assigned to the call to facilitate punctual handling of the call.

Those calls that have reached the station threshold for delayed response (emergent calls for service under 6 minutes, priority calls for service under 15 minutes, and routine calls for service under 40 minutes) shall be identified by the dispatcher.  The dispatcher shall inform the watch deputy of the status of the call.  The dispatcher and watch deputy shall collectively have desk personnel initiate the Station Desk Procedure for Delayed Response and ensure the caller is informed of delay per Field Operations Directive 90-012.

 

Watch Deputy Responsibility
It shall be the responsibility of the watch deputy to actively monitor all calls for service issued by the dispatcher.  The watch deputy shall ensure calls are properly dispatched to ensure timely response by field personnel.  Any call identified with an extended response time shall be scrutinized by the watch deputy to determine the cause of the delay.

Any calls that automatically flag on the watch deputy terminal for "No Ack" or "No Unit 10-97" shall be immediately identified and a determination made on the most expedient manner in which to resolve the delay.  The watch deputy shall ensure the informant on the call is advised of delay and attempt to give them the estimated time field personnel will arrive to handle the call, per FOD 90-012.  The watch deputy shall report to the watch sergeant or watch commander on the status of any call where there is no valid explanation on why the call is delayed.

 

Watch Sergeant Responsibility
Upon being contacted by the watch deputy and notified of a call with an unexplained extended response time, the watch sergeant shall further investigate the call in an attempt to determine the cause of delay.  The watch sergeant will contact the person assigned to the call and conduct an inquiry as to the reason for the delay.  If there is a plausible explanation for the delay, the watch sergeant shall reinforce the importance of a timely response.  If there is no reasonable explanation, the watch sergeant shall consult with the watch commander, and appropriate administrative action shall be taken.