Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Doug Chafe has been a police telecommunications officer working in the Operational Communications Centre (OCC) with the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador for three years, and every day brings something new!
His job involves answering 911, emergency, and non-emergency calls from the public and anyone who needs police assistance. He’s also the direct link for police officers working the field; tracking their location, dispatching them to calls, conducting safety checks, and running important queries to support their work.
Doug says the most interesting part of his day is not knowing what’s on the other end of a call. Something that might sound routine at first can quickly evolve into a much more serious or complex situation – it definitely keeps you on your toes.
For Doug, the best part of working in the OCC is without a doubt the team. He says he’s lucky to work alongside some incredible OCC operators and police officers who all share the same goal of public safety. They rely on each other, especially during stressful situations, and sometimes see each other more than they see their own families. As a result, he’s built solid friendships.
So, what does it take to be a telecommunications operator? Doug says it takes someone who can stay calm under pressure and think quickly. In the OCC, they deal with a lot of emotionally charged or high stress situations, and it’s crucial to be able to provide steady, clear support to both callers, and officers.