Principles of Leadership
Dispatchers do work of two
November 25, 2012 15:01 PST
The following was published on page 8A of the Boulder City Review on November 8, 2012:
As a recently retired Boulder City police sergeant, I would like to respond to Chief Finn’s self-aggrandizing commentary of October 25.
Taxpayers and employees of Boulder City have suffered unnecessarily because of Finn’s management style of fear and intimidation. Competence and integrity are not required to succeed under Finn’s tutelage - “loyalty to him” is the only standard. The “Rules of Power” trump principles of leadership.
For example, BC taxpayers recently paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay and benefits to a reinstated officer whom Chief Finn wrongfully terminated three years ago. Chief Finn has not accepted responsibility for his decision. Furthermore, the officer who conducted the faulty internal investigation has been promoted twice.
Another example is Chief Finn’s reluctance to hire new dispatchers and to adequately staff the dispatcher center. His attitude and treatment of dispatchers contradicts his claim that one of his primary responsibilities is “to provide a safe and secure environment for those who live and work in our city, as well as those who visit the ‘City That Built Hoover Dam.’”
For years, only one dispatcher has been on duty from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Why is it important to have two dispatchers on duty? Along with dispatching police and fire to emergency and non-emergency calls, the dispatcher is responsible for animal control calls, questions from the public, and assisting citizens in the lobby. Questions from the public range from, “Why is my innocent 40-year-old son still in jail?” to “What times does the library open?” Also, phone calls to Public Works and City Hall after 6 p.m. and on weekends are answered by a dispatcher.
Yes, the dispatcher is more than a voice on the police radio. Dispatchers multi-tasked before multi-tasking was cool. However, it is wrong to expect one dispatcher to do the work of two, especially when it could be hours until the next bathroom break. Chief Finn’s neglect of this vital link to the citizens of Boulder City is unacceptable and dangerous.
Daniel M. Jennings
Sergeant, Boulder City Police Department (Retired)
Captain, United States Army (Retired)
As a recently retired Boulder City police sergeant, I would like to respond to Chief Finn’s self-aggrandizing commentary of October 25.
Taxpayers and employees of Boulder City have suffered unnecessarily because of Finn’s management style of fear and intimidation. Competence and integrity are not required to succeed under Finn’s tutelage - “loyalty to him” is the only standard. The “Rules of Power” trump principles of leadership.
For example, BC taxpayers recently paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay and benefits to a reinstated officer whom Chief Finn wrongfully terminated three years ago. Chief Finn has not accepted responsibility for his decision. Furthermore, the officer who conducted the faulty internal investigation has been promoted twice.
Another example is Chief Finn’s reluctance to hire new dispatchers and to adequately staff the dispatcher center. His attitude and treatment of dispatchers contradicts his claim that one of his primary responsibilities is “to provide a safe and secure environment for those who live and work in our city, as well as those who visit the ‘City That Built Hoover Dam.’”
For years, only one dispatcher has been on duty from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Why is it important to have two dispatchers on duty? Along with dispatching police and fire to emergency and non-emergency calls, the dispatcher is responsible for animal control calls, questions from the public, and assisting citizens in the lobby. Questions from the public range from, “Why is my innocent 40-year-old son still in jail?” to “What times does the library open?” Also, phone calls to Public Works and City Hall after 6 p.m. and on weekends are answered by a dispatcher.
Yes, the dispatcher is more than a voice on the police radio. Dispatchers multi-tasked before multi-tasking was cool. However, it is wrong to expect one dispatcher to do the work of two, especially when it could be hours until the next bathroom break. Chief Finn’s neglect of this vital link to the citizens of Boulder City is unacceptable and dangerous.
Daniel M. Jennings
Sergeant, Boulder City Police Department (Retired)
Captain, United States Army (Retired)
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