SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT News Release
		Release #10-30-02 October 30, 2002 For Immediate Release
						Media Office 916-433-0808  Capt. Sam Somers Sgt. Justin Risley, PIO AA Audrey Lee PCIII Cheryl Moore Internet: www.sacpd.org

On Thursday, October 31, 2002, at 2:30 p.m., 12 dispatcher recruits will graduate from the Communications Academy.  This special event will be held in the atrium of the Public Safety Center at 5770 Freeport Boulevard.

The Academy graduates have completed a ten-week course that included 400 hours of instruction on topics such as victimization, crisis intervention, customer service, telephone procedures and technology, cultural diversity, community oriented policing, and many other subjects.

After graduation, recruits will begin one-on-one training for two to four weeks at the communications center.  The recruits will then work as call takers for two to three months and eventually complete a two-week Radio Dispatch Academy.  The recruits will complete their formal training with15 weeks of one-on-one radio training at the communications center.

Dispatchers are the lifelines for officers and citizens and are the first link the community has to law enforcement.  They handle all 9-1-1 calls, radio dispatching, critical incidents, pursuits, and numerous other activities that are critical to an efficient and effective police department.

Sergeant Justin Risley will be available to coordinate media interviews after the ceremony.

Sergeant Justin Risley
Ref. #10-30-02