All sorts of calls come into the police department. And those calls are received by wonderful telecommunicators that are now considered first responders in Texas. This is such a big deal! They absolutely deserve this status and I’m so thankful for all of the work they do. Each call has its own little quirk or weird thing about it. Some of them are remembered because they have a funny element to them (people call about some off the wall things) and some because of the way that the officer was really able to make a difference. Others are remembered because of the difficult nature of the call or the sad things that took place.
The thing that I find pretty interesting is what sticks in the mind of everyone involved in the call. It’s different for every call and for every person. For the dispatchers I can imagine it could be a sound they hear in the background while they are talking to the caller or something specific that the caller says. It could be the tone of the voice of the person responding to the call or the way the cry or scream of the caller sounded. There are many things that stick with them. The unfortunate thing that often happens for dispatch is that sometimes they never hear what happened after they dispatch the call and don’t get the closure that others get that are on scene. So they are left with that sound or phrase without knowing how things worked out.
For those on scene there is a long list of what might stick with them about the call. There are several obvious things that probably come to mind for you. A picture of the scene itself, an image of the person, a smell, a sound, something that was said. Those things are all pretty expected. What surprises me is how specific the things that stick can be. After spending three years riding with the officers, I have several things that have stuck with me and I know I’ve only seen a fraction of what the officers have seen. They often shield me from the difficult things and point me towards the family or wherever I’m needed. I can drive around the island and remember what took place at different locations and I know that happens for the officers too. The thing that often worries me for them is that I imagine those extremely specific things can be the things that are much harder to get out of your mind.
I was in conversation with a sergeant and an officer in training at GPD. The sergeant was talking to the younger officer about a call he took early on in his career. He could describe the dress the little girl wore in very specific detail. I remember another GPD officer talking about the touch of a hand from a child on a very tragic and horrific scene. Recently, I spoke with some officers in another city after they had been on the scene of a one year old child that was found in a pool dead. One officer mentioned the baby’s diaper and how puffy it was from the water. Another officer talked about a blade of grass on the child’s face that they removed. Some officers can describe very vivid smells in extreme detail that they remember from a scene. When I was in a training class we did a scenario that involved a group of first responders eating spaghetti when something serious happened. One of the members mentioned not being able to eat spaghetti without flashing back to that incident. Of course these are just a few of the numerous stories that are out there.
These specific things that the officers see and experience stick with them for years. Some of the things are manageable and they are able to process them, but some really cause the first responders heartache and pain. Sometimes it keeps them from sleeping and in some cases it can make it hard to do various parts of their job. This is what makes the old mentality of “suck it up soldier” so problematic. They are made to feel that they should be able to handle it and not need anyone to help them. That’s just not fair because they see things that should never be easy to see and deal with. I remember talking to one officer about a call that really broke her heart. We talked about how she never wanted to get to a point that the bad things in the world didn’t break her heart, but to find a way to handle them so she wasn’t carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. It’s such a fine line to walk.
I’m so thankful that it has become more acceptable for first responders to reach out and get help. I love that I get to serve in a way that specifically cares for first responders and their needs. Chaplains are there to be a confidential, listening ear and provide a ministry of presence. Outside of my role at GPD, I’m also able to help on a bit larger scale through the Critical Incident Stress Management Team that serves the county. This team specifically responds, at request, to first responders who have been involved in a critical incident, which are those difficult scenes. We check in on the responders and make sure they know they have support. Even though I wish I could do anything for my officers and telecommunicators, my abilities and training only go so far. That’s when it’s so vital for well-trained therapists and psychologists to be available to first responders. The methods that they have can truly be life-changing for officers who are struggling with those things that stuck from a scene and just won’t go away. They help the officers find healthy ways to cope and give them such a sense of relief. While I never want them to lose a heart for people, I don’t want them to be stuck with something that’s keeping them from living their life in a normal way. Officers helping others shouldn't come at the expense of them losing themselves. They have to be at their best when they come to work to ensure that they provide the best help and to ensure their safety and the safety of the other responders. More important than their time at work, their families deserve to have a healthy family member that is fully present to them when at home.
If you’re reading this and you’re someone that cares for the mental and emotional health of first responders, thank you!! If you’re someone that has the training and background to do that, I encourage you to go and get to know your first responders in some way. You will truly be able to make a difference for them if they know you’re available. For my chaplains at GPD and other fellow law enforcement chaplains, thank you for doing what you do! If you’re a first responder that is a little overwhelmed with all you’ve seen, heard, and experienced, know that there is help out there for you if you will just take that first step.