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Kentucky State Police Hiring Tele-Communicators

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Most of the Kentucky State Police posts across the Commonwealth are in need of tele-communicators to take emergency calls.  KSP Sergeant Josh Lawson says 14 of the 16 posts have experienced attrition and retirements and are in need of about 30 new dispatchers. 

Lawson said troopers want to show up on-site and offer assistance. “It takes a whole other type of individual to no be able to respond in-person and actually provide the aid, but to be able to maintain their composure and fall back on their training and give that help over the line and feel almost that helplessness of not being able to be where they need to be, but willing to sit back and give directions,” said Lawson.

Lawson noted that can involve everything from advice about CPR to having a baby.  The KSP spokesman said it takes a certain type of person to respond when people call in sometimes during their most stressful-desperate situations.?

Lawson added existing tele-communicators have been putting in extra hours.  “It has caused a need for the current ones that we have to sort of step up, work some extra hours, take on some extra shifts.  We’ve been fortunate to be able to pay them overtime for that work, so they’ve had to step up and fill in those gaps to make sure there’s been no lapse in service,” explained Lawson.

The next KSP Tele-communicators Academy is set to begin September 14th.

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