CCSO 911 communication officers wanted; starting pay increased - Citrus County Chronicle

Posted: 21 Sep 2020 12:00 AM PDT

Tiana Jarrell's eyes scoured a cluster of computer monitors with maps and details on 911 calls.

Her hands glided across keyboards, ready to take a sudden phone call for help and relay the emergency to appropriate responders.

Jarrell's first shift alone "on the floor" of the Citrus County Sheriff's Office's 911 Communications Center inside the Emergency Operations Center was July 4, 2020.

Independence Day seemed somewhat fitting as it marked the end of Jarrell's 700 hours of paid intake training after her hiring in February.

Jarrell was drawn into the job because of its parameters, qualification requirements and benefits.

"The obvious rewards are helping people, and I think that goes in hand with the challenges," she said, "because it's a serious emergency happening in their life, and it can be tough to find out how to help them and getting them help as soon as possible."

Communication officers are the first responders to almost every emergency.

"They take every call, they know everything that's happening and, unlike they do out in the field, they don't have the closure those folks do" said Chris Evan, director of emergency operations and its 911 center.

Chris Evan, director of emergency operations and the 911 communications center.
Citrus County Sheriff's Office

It's a job many people don't think of when they look for a career in public service; however, without it, police, firefighters and EMS medics would be almost helpless.

"This is still a way to give back to their community," said Mike Story, the sheriff's communications manager and training coordinator.

Nationwide, call takers and dispatchers are in short supply.

The sheriff's office employees 30 full-time and 10 on-call communication officers. Its employment goal is to get to 49.

"We've never, ever been at full staff; it's always challenging," Evan said, "and we really strive to get those numbers high."

Whether it's a 12-hour shift conflicting with a growing family, another job opportunity or a promotion, communication officers have become a rare breed of employee.

"There are a lot of factors that come into play why people leave, but, at this point, we've had so many people want to leave," Evan said. "This is a rewarding career and offers wonderful benefits for anybody who wants to be employed here in a family environment."

Low pay also dissuaded potential applicants from joining, and the sheriff's office made strives to push for an increase.

Since the spring, Sheriff Mike Prendergast has boosted pay for his agency's communication officers from $13.23 an hour to $15.23 an hour, equating to a starting salary raise of $33,134.

In 2017, the average pay for communication officers across the U.S. was at $19.06 an hour for a $39,640 salary, according to the National Emergency Number Association.

"The sheriff has done a good job lately at addressing our pay issue," Story said. "It's nice for us to be competitive with the workforce in general."

After they're hired, communication officers can receive pay while they undergo their 700 hours of intake training.

Learning how to work additional radios in the future can also mean more pay raises.

Along with the pay incentives, communication officers can take advantage of their job's medical, dental, vision benefits along with being a part of the Florida Retirement System.

They can also access the wellness center, which offers free healthcare services and medications.

Thinking of pursuing a college degree while working as a communications officer? The sheriff's office will help reimburse tuition.

Evan said young job seekers out of high school can secure themselves a stable profession with solid benefits.

"You don't have to have a college degree to work here," he said. "You can get a good-paying job with great benefits without the student debt."

To apply for a communications officer position with the sheriff's office, contact Deputy Jason Boyer at 352-341-7452 or jboyer@sheriffcitrus.org.

Qualified communications officers should be quick-thinkers, have good morals and be able to multitask.

Jarrell said she's always learning how to be better.

"Always be willing to learn … there's so many different nuances in so many different situations," she said. "Always being a student first is always important; I have to be on top of it."

There's a rigorous start to the hiring process for communication officers.

Prospective employees must pay attention when completing their lengthy application.

"It has to be 100% accurate and updated," Story said.

Leaving out information, whether on purpose or not, can lead to issues when an applicant is questioned on it during the sheriff's office's lie detector test.

Being untruthful during the lie detector test is also not a good idea. Story and Evan said the agency will work with applicants with questionable pasts.

"It's about being truthful and honest," Story said.

Tattoos on the face, neck and hands could also be disqualifying factors if they can't be covered.

Sheriff's officials also did away with their agency's tobacco-free policy, allowing employees to use nicotine products while off duty.

There can be a lot of satisfaction in helping someone, and communication officers do more than they realize for a person who dialed 911.

"You may have taken that simple call, but step back think of that impact," Story said. "Everyday, they're making an impact everyday in someone's life."

Liberia: Senate to Investigate Allegation of Sexual Harassment before Conducting Hearing for Liberia's Foreign Minister-designate - Front Page Africa

Posted: 22 Sep 2020 12:40 AM PDT

MONROVIA – Senator Dan Morais, (Maryland County-IND) chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs chose what many described as an unprecedented path when he called off a Senate confirmation proceeding for Ambassador Dee Maxwell Kemayah, Foreign Minister-designate until allegation of sexual harassment against him is looked into.

Report by Henry Karmo, [email protected]

Amb. Kemayah who serves as Liberia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations was accused of sexual harassment by a Liberian staff of the mission in New York immediately after his nomination was announced.

Senator Morais in his short statement adjourned the hearings minutes after it had commenced and informed Ambassador Kemayah that the committee could not go further with the hearing until the allegation against him is investigated and resolved.

Senator Morais said: "We as Senators and the committee charged with the responsibility of investigating allegations brought before us find magnitude in a full and thorough investigation and so we will adjourn and the nominee will remain under oath and we will inform him the day of his return."

Like Senator Morais, Senator Conmany Wesseh (River Gee County- UP) Co-Chairman on the committee also promised a full-scale investigation into the matter. He said the investigation would be free of sentiment to give Liberia the kind of Foreign Minister it deserves.

"I don't want any sentiment, I don't want things that would tie us, things that are untested. We, in our political work, have stood for justice. We must not accuse falsely without giving prove of the accusations; we make and those accused, if found guilty, be prosecuted.

"I, Conmany B. Wesseh, having stood for justice all my life and my political life, will ensure that justice is done in this particular case. The committee, I believe, will do a thorough job and we will pursue truth and justice without sentiment and encourage all of you who have shown interest to continue to do so until we get justice and the Foreign Minister that this country deserves."

Amb. Kemayah, however, received a huge solidarity support from various youth and women groups who believe that the allegation against him is politically motivated.

Even though the government and other stakeholders are yet to establish any fact linking Ambassador Kemayah to the sexual harassment allegation leveled against him by Whynee Cummings Wilson, the lady herself has challenged the Ambassador to a lie-detector test.

"I, Conmany B. Wesseh, having stood for justice all my life and my political life, will ensure that justice is done in this particular case. The committee, I believe, will do a thorough job and we will pursue truth and justice without sentiment and encourage all of you who have shown interest to continue to do so until we get justice and the Foreign Minister that this country deserves."
Conmany B. Wesseh, Senator, Rivergee County, Co-Chair, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs

A lie-detector test, also known as a polygraph test, records the body's involuntary responses to an examiner's questions in order to ascertain deceptive behavior. The test measures physiological data from three or more systems of the human body-generally the respiratory, cardiovascular, and sweat gland systems-but not the voice. There are other tests that test the voice for deception.

However, Ambassador Kemayah's lawyers have responded to the Wilson's allegation by describing it as a trick to demoralize his reputation for her "devilish" goal.

In a communication regarding the allegation, the legal team of Kemayah questioned the credibility of Wilson's allegation and wondered how a person expressing emotional regrets over such a grave act can wait after several months to come out at a time people are talking about rape. "Didn't she know that from the beginning?" The legal team wondered.

Amb. Kemayah's legal team has also catalogued his achievements that came with moral conduct in the public space, where it said he had led several organizations including the famous Liberian Business Association (LIBA) and several sport clubs that he was not named in any ethical misconduct.

The report of Ambassador Kemayah's involvement in sexual harassment comes at the time when President Weah has declared rape as a national emergency and launched a roadmap to address the issue of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).

Ambassador Kemayah, in a five-page document response through his New York-based legal team, the Tilem & Associates, said "We are aware that long before his nomination as Liberia's Foreign Minister, a handful of detractor unleashed an avalanche of failed attacks to hunt him down into disfavor with the President."

Mrs. Una K. Thompson, the head of the joint women rights groups, Women Rights Campaign for Justice and Women of Liberia Peace Network, said they are raising the issue at a higher level to ensure that justice is done to both Kemayah and Wilson.

Mrs. Thompson, who herself is a former employee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf's administration, said the women's network is making sure that the case is non-political because they strongly believe that women's issues should not be politicized.

She called on the Senate to stop the confirmation of Ambassador Kemayah until the complaint against him by Madam Wilson is addressed through a speedy investigation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

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