The
Wexford County Sheriff's Office

Gary A. Finstrom, Sheriff
  Martin Dahlstrom,  Undersheriff 

History of Wexford County, Michigan - by Wikipedia

Meet your
 Wexford County
Central Dispatch

Telecommunicators / 9-1-1 Operators

Undersheriff Martin Dahlstrom - Director

     Prior to 1992, law enforcement agencies within Wexford County operated individual dispatch operations on a 24-hours basis.  When an agency received an emergency call, that agency responded and handled the incident.
     In 1989, the Wexford County Sheriff's Office began development and implementation of 9-1-1 in Wexford County.  The process took three years to develop and in March of 1992, Wexford County began enhanced 9-1-1 operations.  At that time, the Sheriff's Office and Cadillac City Police Department operated separate 9-1-1 dispatch facilities with the State Police receiving emergency calls from the Sheriff's Office.
     In April 1995, Wexford County formed a countywide Central Dispatch operated by the Sheriff's Office.  Central Dispatch is now  he single 9-1-1 center in Wexford County and receives 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls for all law enforcement agencies within Wexford County, which includes the Sheriff's Office, Cadillac City Police, Michigan State Police-Cadillac Post, Manton City Police, and after hours DNR personnel.  In addition to law enforcement, which includes all Animal Control calls for service, Central Dispatch also dispatches all fire departments and EMS personnel in the County, as well as various support services, after-hours street department, utilities, road commission contacts, etc.

     Currently, Wexford County Central Dispatch is staffed with nine full-time telecommunicators, with two telecommunicators on duty at all times.  Each console is mirrored to the other so personnel can assist each other on calls received.  Personnel work 12-hour shifts with breaks, as duty allows.
     Prospective employees are evaluated for prior experience, training, and education.  Employees selected after the application process, which includes a three-part testing instrument that includes compatibility, knowledge, interpersonal abilities, emotional control, and other personal characteristics.  Candidates must also complete a background investigation, oral board review, physical examination, psychological evaluation, and drug screen.  Once hired, the new telecommunicator is on a one-year probationary status to evaluate performance, conduct, etc.  The new employee works with a  senior telecommunicator and receives at minimum, quarterly performance evaluations.  New employees attend an eighty (80) hour basic telecommunicator course, sixteen (16) hour basic L.E.I.N. school, twenty-four (24) hour medical dispatch training, and many hours of in-service training, which includes hazardous materials, first-aid, T.D.D. operations, etc.