The Town's Communication Operators

The Taber Police Service employs five full-time and three part-time communication operators (comm ops) commonly referred to as dispatchers. All comm ops are certified in Emergency Police and Fire Dispatch.

The Taber Police Service handles all incoming 9-1-1 calls for the Town of Taber, MD of Taber, Vauxhall, Grassy Lake, Enchant, Hays and Barnwell 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Therefore, comm ops work 12 hour shifts - from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.

The Lifeline of the Taber Police Service

Comm ops are often referred to as the lifeline of the Taber Police Service as they may be the first person you come in contact with whether by attending the station, telephone, or through 9-1-1.

When calling 9-1-1 or the administration line, the safety of the public and responding personnel are first priority, therefore a series of questions will be asked depending on the exact emergency. The question/answer information is of the utmost importance so that the appropriate emergency service can be dispatched appropriately. Other information may also be required including your name, date of birth, address, and call back number.

Role of Communication Operators

The role of comm ops in the Taber Police Service is highly varied and requires the ability to perform a multitude of tasks at one time, as they are quite often the only dispatcher on duty at any given time. They are in constant contact with the field and know where all on-duty officers and fire crews are located at all times.

Information is transmitted to the field through the use of numeric and alphabetic coded signals in order to maintain maximum efficiency, minimizing airtime, and for the safety of our members.