TACTICAL DISPATCHING

TACTICAL DISPATCHING
*ENHANCING COMMUNICATION ON CRITICAL INCIDENTS
BETWEEN DISPATCH & INCIDENT COMMANDER
What is Tactical Dispatching?
INFORMATION
Traditional Incident Commanders
 Incident Commanders have a tremendous amount to
manage at the scene of an incident.
 Traditionally, they needed to be able to simultaneously:






Complete functions of operations
Plan
Logistics
Finance
Law Enforcement Tactics
Coordinate & Communicate on several frequencies
All while trying to focus on managing the incident through the
hours ahead.
Traditional Incident Commanders
 In past practices, the Incident Commander has completed
these tasks alone or with a highly trained police officers
who attempt to handle “communications”, accountability
and documentation with the command post.
 Currently the office of Homeland Security mandates all law
enforcement and fire agencies comply with ICS/NIMS
structure. This will help the incident commander delegate
the planning, logistics, finance and tactics part of the
incident. Thus leaving the communications to the tactical
dispatch team.
Tactical Command Problems
 No systematic collection, processing and dissemination of
situation intelligence.
 Personnel at different positions and/or tasks not kept
informed of status of operation on a regular basis.
 Information not verified being disseminated as factual
without qualification of accuracy.
 Deployed personnel not reporting information regarding
objective site conditions accurately or in a timely manner.
 No documentation of events during or after an incident to
reflect the actions of suspect and enforcement response.
Problems Specific to
Communications
 Lack of proper communication between incident commander
and the dispatcher on the radio
 Excessive and unnecessary communications on radio
channels, resulting in duplicate requests, missed information
and breakdown in control of personnel
 Dispatchers not trained to tactical operation communication,
i.e. ICS/NIMS
How can a Tactical Dispatcher
Help?
TACTICAL DISPATCHING BEGINS IN
THE COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
PSRS may not always be able to respond to the C/P
but
they will be handling the incident from the Center
DUTIES DURING A TACTICAL EVENT
• Auxiliary BCC (Tactical Dispatcher) established
inside the Communications Center
• Create a Master Incident & relate all incidents
advise all COMM personnel to notify the Aux BCC
• The Aux BCC shall contact the C/P with pertinent
information – No EBO shall broadcast on the
Tactical Frequency over the Tactical event.
Concept of the Tactical Dispatcher

Integrate the dispatcher’s unique skills
Multitasking
Attention to Detail
Hearing & Repeating information accurately

Mobilization – 2 or more Tactical Team Members to a
command post during a critical incident.
One - Run LARCOPP
Second - On-scene dispatching and log-keeping

Dispatchers assist in command post environment or a
large-scale mutual aid type incident.
Tactical Dispatcher Duties
Chronological Log/Work Radio
Document “Situational Awareness”
LARCOPP
Operate the LARCOPP in order to keep a chronological log
of the incident and provide situational awareness from field
commanders to Emergency Operations Centers, state OES
and Department Homeland Security.
TACTICAL DISPATCHERS
UTILIZE LARCOPP/LAPTOP TO PROVIDE EFFICIENT AND
ACCURATE DOCUMENTATION
Functions of the Tactical Dispatcher
 Specifically to support the operational needs of the incident
and tactical commanders
 Assist the incident commander with radio operations,
allowing them to concentrate on actual incident
 Provide up to date information
 Receive information from on-scene and investigative sources
 Disseminate information to teams/officers for execution of
duties and responsibilities
 Operate the LARCOPP system
The Role of a Tactical Dispatcher
 Assume on-scene communications support as delegated by
the incident commander
 Handle communications in and out of the incident, relaying
command decision to the IC, while maintaining resources
and situations status as well as documentations.
 Use of Tactical dispatcher is targeted at mid to large-scale
incidents
• SWAT
• Special Events and Extended Operations
• Any event the IC feels a tactical dispatcher would
enhance the operation
TACTICAL DISPATCHERS
PROVIDE SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
UNDER ALL CIRCUMSTANCES
Analysis of the
Tactical Dispatch Team
There are several police and sheriff departments nationwide
that currently use tactical dispatchers, many deploy with SWAT.
Skills include, but are not limited to:
Maintaining an incident log through CAD
Gathering critical intelligence through various
communications systems
Creating deployment charts
Working on the radio
Working the LARCOPP
Having a tactical dispatcher as a functioning part
of the command team benefits the command
staff by providing accurate and timely
documentation of events during high-risk
operations.
What does that mean for the
Los Angeles Police
Department?
Los Angeles Police Department
Communications Division
Tactical Dispatch Coordinator
SR PSR I Marisa Trujillo
213 978-6544
V8950@lapd.lacity.org