Work Stressors and Resources Among Police Emergency Dispatchers. Exploring Opportunities for Improving Working Conditions for Employees Critical for Public Safety.

Abstract

Emergency dispatchers are required to remain calm and focused, managing complex and intense situations when allocating resources and providing information to first responders on site. However, despite their importance in securing public safety, the working conditions of emergency dispatchers have received marginal attention. This study addresses this gap by exploring: (1) "How do police emergency dispatchers experience their working conditions?" and (2) "Which initiatives do the emergency dispatchers suggest for reducing stress, improving the working conditions, and promoting health maintenance?" We applied qualitative content analysis to responses from 78 police emergency dispatchers to open-ended questions from an online survey. The work's demanding and intense nature is regarded as both stressful and engaging. Cumulative stress is perceived as more challenging than dramatic incidents. Noise and suboptimal technical solutions add to the burden. Lack of follow-up, understaffing and turnover may be depicted as a vicious circle that could be counterbalanced by more staff, outsourcing of redundant tasks, better technical equipment, and leadership-initiated debriefing. Although limitations apply, the results from this study are important for practitioners and researchers within the field of operative psychology and emergency dispatchers. The results can contribute to an improved work environment, work culture, training, well-being, and performance of police emergency dispatchers, which can increase job performance as well as effectiveness and, consequently, secure public safety.