The last part of this snippet is interesting as I recall most teams are trained to handle a variety of positions on the team (primary, secondary, situation boards, intelligence, etc.). Thoughts?
After four years as a city of Salem dispatcher and the past six years as a negotiator with the tactical negotiations team in the Salem Police Department, Officer Gerrit Roelof knows a lot about communication.
He began working as a dispatcher in 1996 and four years later got hired at the department.
“It made the transition smoother,” Roelof, 45, said.
As a dispatcher with Willamette Valley Communications, Roelof had a slight advantage over others who get hired with no experience. He learned a lot about how it all worked, including the radio system and department policies, before he took the job.
It took about three years in the patrol division before Roelof decided he was interested in contributing in another way. With his experience as a dispatcher, officer and communications major at Marist College in New York, Roelof applied for a spot on the tactical negotiations team.
After six years, he is now the lead negotiator on the team of 14 officers. The job, he said, comes with its challenges, but he finds it rewarding for many reasons.
Salem’s negotiation team is structured differently than a lot of others. While certain negotiators may be trained in specific roles in other departments, those with Salem Police are trained in all roles...
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