City of Melbourne Officials Recognize National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week honors those who respond to emergency calls

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – To recognize the critical role 911 communications officers play in keeping our community safe, the City of Melbourne annually joins with communities nationwide in designating the second week of April as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week honors the men and women who respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance. “Our communications officers are the backbone of our patrol division and a critical component to the overall operation of the Melbourne Police Department,” said Melbourne Police Chief David Gillespie.

When an emergency occurs, the prompt response of law enforcement, firefighters and paramedics is critical to the protection of life and preservation of property.

Melbourne’s Communications Center receives, classifies and prioritizes calls from the public and dispatches calls that require police or fire rescue response.

In addition to handling a tremendous number of calls (an average of 130,000 per year), they often help de-escalate volatile situations and help police officers and detectives stop and solve crimes.

“Melbourne’s communications officers are highly skilled and extremely dedicated – they are some of the best that I’ve worked with in my 33 years in law enforcement,” said Chief Gillespie.

“They consistently answer calls within the industry standard of 10 seconds or less, calm people down in emergency situations, and relay critical information to first responders that keeps them safe.”

During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week the City of Melbourne encourages residents to learn more about these behind-the-scenes heroes and to send messages of thanks and support to them via the Melbourne Police Department or by emailing police@mlbfl.org.

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