The changing role of a modern-day security dispatcher
The security dispatcher stands out among all the people responsible for your security company’s success. What are the most significant responsibilities, and why do they matter? By selecting a security dispatcher with strong communication skills and knowing how to handle the latest software, you’ll improve safety and get the best results from your guards. Let’s explore the details of a dispatcher’s tasks.
Getting organized
Security guards are first responsible for managing the scheduling needs of guards. With multiple clients and shifts to fill, this isn’t simple. A security dispatcher needs to match the proper guards to the right shifts to ensure clients receive the preferred level of service, which means accounting for special requests like security clearance, skill training, and availability. Dispatches need to also update their work to make sure changes are covered.
Quick and clear communication
It’s essential to be able to communicate in both a calm and direct manner, even during an emergency. Dispatchers must be able to message clients and emergency response personnel, give clear responses, and do it all quickly.
During a stressful situation, security dispatchers need to process the information communicated to them by the security guard and then deliver the correct information to the right people, fast. Not only does this require dispatchers to know the law enforcement 10-codes, but they also have quick decision-making abilities. In these cases, getting a message across quickly could save a life.
Security team movement and monitoring
By monitoring security guard activity with GPS tracking and other software tools, a security dispatcher can be alerted to typical issues, like a security guard who left his assigned patrol area or hasn’t reached a check-in point at the appropriate time. This isn’t just to ensure guards are fulfilling their patrol responsibilities – it can also alert your team to a potential emergency when a security guard has been injured or incapacitated.
A security dispatcher’s monitoring responsibilities also extend to reviewing incident reports. Security dispatchers need the skills to quickly evaluate information from a security guard’s field reports. This can be especially important after an incident involving conflicts between a security guard’s report and another person’s statement. In addition, monitoring trends and data from security guard monitoring software lets dispatchers check potential performance issues and areas for improvement.
The dispatchers may also be responsible for training new guards on how to use security guard monitoring and shift scheduling tools, including basic patrol procedures. Dispatchers must communicate client-specific protocols to guards for each shift, ensuring services are tailored to meet individual client needs and expectations.
Technology know-how
Modern dispatch software is a central hub that brings security technologies into one system.
Here’s how it integrates:
• CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) systems: Dispatch software often displays live video feeds from security cameras. This allows dispatchers to visually verify alarms, monitor situations in real-time, track movements, and record events for later review. Integration can include features like pan-tilt-zoom camera control directly from the dispatch interface and intelligent video analytics that flag suspicious activity.
• Access control systems: Integration allows dispatchers to monitor who enters and exits secure areas. They can receive alerts for unauthorized access attempts, remotely lock or unlock doors, and manage access privileges. Some systems even provide audit trails, showing entry and exit logs.
• Alarm systems: When an alarm is triggered, the dispatch software receives immediate notifications, often with specific details about the type and location of the alarm. Integration can provide dispatchers with pre-programmed response protocols, site maps, and contact information to handle the situation.
On-the-go with mobile apps
Mobile apps let security dispatchers and guards communicate in real-time. Dispatchers enjoy leaving behind the delays and potential misunderstandings of traditional radio communication and the benefits of text messages, alerts, and multimedia sharing with individuals or groups. In addition, GPS capabilities allow dispatchers to see the exact location of guards on a map in real-time. This helps dispatch to incidents, ensuring the closest available team is sent, and monitors for security guard safety.
Dispatchers can use apps to create, assign, and track tasks and patrols for guards, and integrated apps provide dispatchers with immediate access to information like site maps, emergency contact details, security protocols, and past incident reports. During an actual emergency, dispatchers can use the app to send updates, receive live reports – including text, photos, and videos – from guards on the scene, and coordinate responses with other units.
Managing a crisis
Dispatchers must coordinate with various units, including law enforcement, emergency services, and client representatives during a crisis. The security dispatcher acts as a central point, quickly assessing situations and initiating predefined crisis protocols. These protocols are developed plans outlining specific actions to be taken based on the type of emergency. For example:
- In an active shooter situation, the protocol might involve initiating a lockdown procedure, contacting law enforcement with the location and suspect details, and guiding occupants based on pre-established safety guidelines.
- In a medical emergency, the protocol would involve dispatching on-site medical personnel, contacting emergency medical services, and providing first-aid instructions to the reporting party over the phone.
- For a fire, the protocol would focus on activating fire alarms, notifying the fire department with accurate location details, and starting evacuation procedures. Dispatchers need to be able to relay information, give real-time updates, and plan a unified response.
This coordination highlights the public-private collaboration aspect. Security dispatch centers often link a private organization’s security infrastructure and public safety resources. Dispatchers are trained to communicate with public safety agencies, providing them with the specific information they need to respond. This collaboration can involve sharing real-time video feed, providing access control information to first responders, and helping hand over control when public safety authorities arrive on the scene. Communication and pre-established working relationships help bridge the gap between private security measures and public safety resources.
Compliance and regulations
Security dispatchers must also help cover compliance with industry regulations and client-specific requirements. Detailed logs of all calls, dispatches, incidents, and actions are sometimes needed for legal and auditing purposes. These records are a history of events, providing evidence in case of investigations, legal challenges, or even insurance claims. Properly maintained records help protect the organization and demonstrate accountability. Accurate record-keeping shows how the dispatcher’s role is not just an immediate response but also essential for the long-term integrity of the security department.
Advancements for the future
Advanced techniques use data and technology to ensure the right personnel are in the right place at the right time. This means considering factors like incident data, real-time event triggers, specific site vulnerabilities, and environmental conditions. For instance, analyzing past incident reports might reveal patterns of increased activity in specific zones during particular hours, leading to increased security guard presence during those peak times. Integrating real-time data from access control systems or alarm triggers can automatically adjust deployment. Resource allocation also benefits from this advancement, so equipment, vehicles, and other assets are positioned for access when needed.
Revolutionizing dispatch with the TrackTik Command Center
The TrackTik Command Center uses intelligent automation for dispatch. By leveraging predefined rules and real-time data, dispatchers can swiftly assign tasks and respond to incidents efficiently. The system’s advanced features, including geofencing, live security guard tracking, and digital communication tools, further enhance dispatcher capabilities. The TrackTik Command Center streamlines compliance processes by automating reporting and maintaining comprehensive activity records.
This innovative interface integrates diverse data streams and functionalities, providing security teams unparalleled situational awareness and control. Dispatchers can monitor security guard locations, active incidents, alarm triggers, and predicted risk areas on a dynamic, real-time map. This holistic view empowers dispatchers to make rapid, well-informed deployment and incident response decisions.
Automation in the TrackTik Command Center can provide pre-determined responses based on specific events, so there is a consistent handling of routine tasks as well as incidents. For example, an alarm in a high-risk zone could automatically dispatch the nearest available guards, notify supervisors, and pull up site information – all within seconds. The TrackTik Command Center turns security from a reactive to a proactive place, while also making it easier for dispatchers to get the job done.
Let’s take a closer look at how the TrackTik Command Center features can assist dispatchers:
- Enhanced Situational Awareness: The unified interface consolidates all incident tracking and management tools, eliminating the need for multiple screens and enabling faster comprehension and response.
- Standardized Protocols: Predefined response protocols ensure consistency across all events, providing clear guidance and reducing errors regardless of the dispatcher on duty.
- Optimized Response Times: Real-time mapping and dispatch monitoring allow for the swift identification and deployment of the nearest available personnel, significantly improving response times.
- Seamless System Integration: The Command Center’s scalable REST API enables integration with various security systems, including cameras and alarms. Consolidating alerts and information from multiple sources into a single interface streamlines dispatcher workflows.
Dispatchers have assumed expanded responsibilities on security teams, including scheduling, monitoring, and even training. Their ability to remain organized and perform under pressure, coupled with proficiency in cutting-edge technology, is crucial to team success. Giving dispatchers the right skills and the latest software solutions is a wise investment for forward-thinking security organizations.
