Dispatchers never know whether they will get a call from someone who wants them to settle a disagreement, wants directions to the local liquor store, or who has a viable emergency such as an accident with injuries, a suicide, a house fire or a gang-related stabbing.  Dispatchers must work calmly under stressful situations, work often difficult hours and deal with people who are usually at their worst.  They must think fast, make critical decisions, evaluate situations and work quickly. 

What It Takes

The requirements for 9-1-1 dispatchers vary depending on the hiring department but generally, candidates must have a high school diploma with a background in customer service, law enforcement, medical services or criminal justice.  Often, in addition to education, several years of work experience as a full-time responsible employee is required.  They must be at least 18 years old and a US Citizen with a valid driver’s license.  They must pass a criminal background check, personality profile, a polygraph test, a drug test and a psychological profile.  Any history of criminal activity, drug use or mental illness will disqualify a candidate. 

Interestingly, one of the most important skills that a dispatcher must have is typing.  Dispatchers must type as much information as possible in a very short period of time with great accuracy.  Know how to type quickly and accurately is a vital skill and dispatchers must pass typing tests to prove their skill.  Another valuable skill is to know a second language.  Calls often come from non-English speakers and dispatchers with foreign language skills are a great asset to their departments and bilingual dispatchers usually earn more per hour as well. 

What Dispatchers Do

The duties of a dispatcher in public safety are variable from agency to agency, but generally include most of the following:  receive emergency calls from the public requesting police, fire, medical and other emergency service which must be processed and prioritized; determine the nature and location of the emergency and what services or resources are needed; monitor direct emergency alarms; answer non-emergency calls for assistance; monitor complex public safety radio frequencies; communicate and provide support services to the police and fire departments; input and access information from law enforcement systems; coordinate dispatching of emergency resources; type letters, forms and reports; maintain accurate, up-to-date files and logs. 

The median pay for dispatchers in 2010 was $35,370 per year (about $17.00 per hour) which is considered to be excellent for someone without a college degree.  The job outlook for dispatchers is steadily growing, especially with a larger and older population likely creating more emergency calls.  While the job is stressful and often high-pressured, the work is rewarding and the right person can be a life-saver for those on the other end of the call.

K-9 partners, like Rebecca and Kacha, frequently work nights and weekends and respond to emergencies whenever they arise.  Kacha lives with the Ramos family and is well-cared for there.  When they are not out on a call, Ramos and Kacha often visit schools, community groups and other organizations to showcase the K-9 partnership and their contribution to public safety.

K-9 officers work in all levels of law enforcement as well as the military.  The dogs are generally trained with a special skill such as identifying narcotics, smuggled goods, detecting human remains or forensic evidence, discovering items at arson scenes, border patrols and more.  Many police dogs work in the penal system and assist in intervening in breaking up fights, sniffing out contraband and searches.  The most common breeds for use in police work are Dutch or German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Pit Bull Terriers and Belgian Malinois.  Most police dogs are considered full-fledged officers and given a badge.  Assaults against police dog are similar or equal to assaulting a human officer. 

Police officers who are interested in working in K-9 units must generally acquire three to four years police experience as a regular uniformed officer before applying (time varies depending on police department).  Only the best officers are selected to become K-9 officers.  They must show a willingness to abide by rules and be dependable; they must love dogs and be willing to care for the dog in their home, and be trained in canine behavior and first aid techniques so that they can protect their canine partner.  One thing that can often help an officer in his quest to become a K-9 officers is to volunteer for K-9 exercises, suiting up in protective gear and letting the dogs attack him to train.

Once assigned, an officer and a trained police dog must go through an intensive training process together before they are able to go on duty in the field.  Although a police dog has already gone through extensive training before being qualified to be a member of a K-9 team, the dog and officer continue obedience training and unique training pertaining to their specialization. 

Court reporters document transcripts pertaining to various conversations, speeches and other legal events held both in and out of the courtroom setting.  There transcripts are indispensable part of the justice system.  The records must be accurate, complete and verbatim. 

In addition to documenting and providing legal transcripts, a court reporter may also be asked to assist the trial attorneys and judges by helping them organize and search for information from official transcripts and can contribute to discussions about courtroom procedure and administration. 

While most court reporters work onsite for the government, in courts and legislatures, some work as free-lance reporters and may even work remotely in broadcasting closed captioning for the deaf and providing real-time translation from either their home or a central office.  Court reporters with skills in this area are in the greatest demand. 

Court reporting is demanding and very unpredictable.  Reporters must be highly alert and attentive at all times and be able to observe and record what takes place around them without becoming personally involved.  A good court reporter must have keen listening skills as well as excellent writing and communication skills and proficient English grammar and vocabulary skills. 

Have you ever wondered how court reports record all the conversations that they are required to?  They use stenotype machines to record the dialogue as it is spoken.  Stenotype machines work like keyboards but create words through key strokes and combinations rather than single characters, allowing the reporter to keep up with fast-moving dialogue.  This is where the term stenographers comes from.  As with regular keyboards, the symbols are then recorded in a computer which uses computer-assisted transcription (CAT) to translate the key combinations into readable text.  Court reporters then review the transcription for accuracy and make necessary corrections.  Another tool called a steno mask is utilized in some situations.  A reporter speaks directly into a covered microphone, recording dialogue and reporting gestures and actions.  This vocal record is then converted to a written text using computerized voice-recognition software and again checked for accuracy.

Certified court reporters are in greater demand than less qualified persons.  Many community colleges and technical institutes offer postsecondary certificate programs for court reporters and Associates Degree programs. Many states require court reporters who work in legal settings to be licensed and certified.  The National Court Reporters Association offers certification for court reporters and broadcast captioners.  Certification as a Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) includes a written test and skills test and the reporter must be able to type at least 225 words per minute.  Currently, 22 states use or accept the RPR in place of state certification or licensing exams. 

When PoliceLink ranked the highest cities for police officers, they considered the cities’ growth rates, average salaries and costs of living.  They factored in unemployment rates and commute time which, according to experts, has a big effect on a person’s overall happiness. 

The Number Three best city for police officers is Salt Lake City, Utah.  This beautiful city in the Rocky Mountains has a rapidly growing population of 1.2 million citizens who tend to be younger (27.1) and healthier with a longer life expectancy, the third longest in the country at 77.7 years.  The population is well educated which may contribute to the ranking of 7^th lowest in violent crimes which the police force appreciates.  Salt Lake City is a family-friendly city, and has a low unemployment rate with high expectations for job growth. 

Sixth position on the list of best cities for police officers is Seattle, Washington.  The city has a population of 612,100 and has a little longer work-time commute of just over 25 minutes.  Seattle is the state’s largest city and is home to prominent corporate headquarters including Starbucks, Nordstrom, Microsoft and Amazon.com.  The cost of living is higher, 79^th out of 100, but the starting police officer’s salary is $60,672 which is right at the median household income for the city.  Seattle is one of the safest big cities in America and is has also been listed as the most liveable cities.  It is highly literate and child-friendly. 

Portland, Oregon has long been known for their high-tech industries and also has seen consistent growth in education and health-services.  Now they are also known as the eight-best city for police officers.  This growing city is the third most populous city in the Pacific Northwest with 2,260,000 people living in the metropolitan area.  Portland has long been known as one of the most environmentally friendly cities in the world.  The murder rate in Portland has averaged lower than the nation average though crimes other than murder are generally higher than average across the nation.  Still, Portland is rated among the safest cities in America.  Starting officers can expect to earn $51,912 which is higher than the city’s average salary of $43,370.

Another western city ranking ninth on the list is Denver, Colorado.  With an average of 300 days a year of sunshine, Denver is a great place to ski, kayak, fly fish or hike.  It is the most highly educated city in the US.  Crime rates overall are trending downward with violent crime increasing and property crime decreasing.  The cost of living in Denver ranks 47 out of 100.  Denver pays its police offers an average of $45,610

 Honolulu, Hawaii is the last western city on the PoliceLink list.  The city that ranks high on most tourists’ priority list has an average starting police officer’s salary of $43,010 and a short commute time of just over 22 minutes.  It has the second lowest unemployment rate on the list and all that sun, sand and surf is great for days off.

While at first glance, one might wonder why women would want to be in a field of law enforcement, corrections or security, typically seen as careers in which employees deal with criminal public.  But many of the required skills are innate to women.  Women are nurturers, caretakers, often good communicators.   One advantage of female police officers is that they have an extremely low ratio of police brutality cases. While male officers often depend more on force, women rely on communication to diffuse tense situations.  The result is that fewer lawsuits are being filed against female officers which reduces expensive payouts from city budgets.
The career options for women in criminal justice are hugely varied.  There are opportunities at local, county, state and federal levels.  More women are working as patrol officers and make excellent detectives.  Women join the ranks and work their way up the police force to become sergeants, majors and chiefs.  In recent studies, women proved more efficient in the development and performance of search strategies than men and scored higher than men in formulating strategies.   Women’s intuition also appears to enable them to make better judgment calls. 

In addition to the standard police force, women are specializing in areas such as highway patrol, divisions of criminal intelligence and federal areas such as FBI agents, border patrol, alcohol, tobacco and firearm, Secret Service and homeland security.

Many women enjoy working as dispatchers.  Police dispatchers deplot resources such as police officers, fire workers and EMTs to people in need after receiving emergency phone calls. Some of the most common dispatching jobs exist in public safety as police dispatchers, ambulance dispatchers and fire dispatchers.  Women are skilled at the detail work involved in dispatch and in staying cool in high-stress situations. 

Lawyers, victim advocates, domestic violence advocates, paralegals, court reporters and support staff positions are other viable options for women in criminal justice.  Women judges are presiding over a growing number of cases. 

Within the US, the rate of incarcerated females has reached well over 200,000 women with more than a million on some form of supervision.  This has greatly increased the demand for female corrections officers.

Forensic sciences including arson investigation and analysis, handwriting, ballistics, DNA, drug screening, and more are among some of the most fascinating career options for women.   Women are also challenging men in the fields of criminal profiling, crime scene investigation and forensic psychology. Dr. Douglas. A. Gordon, from Wright State University, says women are “natural lie detectors,” having a greater ability to identify, process and interpret nonverbal communication.

Associate’s Degrees

Two-year degrees, commonly called associate’s degrees, are often the focus of smaller community colleges.  They are roughly the equivalent of the first two years of a bachelor’s degree.  Often, students earning an associate’s degree will transfer to a larger university and continue to earn their four-year bachelor’s degree but for some criminal justice career choices, an associate’s degree is sufficient.  Many police academies accept applicants with an associate’s degree in criminal justice.  If you are interested in working in corrections or other civil-service professions or private security positions, then an associate’s degree is all that is required, as it is for the currently popular crime scene investigators or forensic science technicians. 

 Bachelor’s Degrees

Depending on the specific requirements of each specific degree program, and of course the individual student, earning a bachelor’s degree is generally a four-year process.  Students who can carry a heavy load of classes and who continue through summer school may complete the degree program in three years.  A four-year Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice degree is required for careers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) who offers such positions as special agent, Hostage Rescue team and intelligence analyst.  Jobs with the Department of Defense such as intelligent analysts and organized crime teams also require bachelor’s degrees, as do most upper division civil service positions. 

 Salary Differences

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in recent years, crime scene investigators who held a two-year associate’s degree earned an average salary of $55,000 with the middle 50% earning between $40,340 and $66,240 with the bottom 10% earning about $32,000 and the top 10% bringing in $84,000.  In contrast, candidates with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice can earn median salaries as a police detective supervisor ($75,500), an FBI supervisor ($89,000) or Federal Law Enforcement Agents ($73,170) with commensurate higher and lower ranges.   

 While it is clearly more costly and takes considerably more time to earn a bachelor’s degree than an associate’s degree, the choice about which degree to pursue should really come as a result of deciding which career path you ultimately want to take.  Once you know what field of criminal justice you want to spend your career working in, then you can better make the decision about which degree program will enable you to achieve your goals.

The Central Intelligence Agency also has strict standards for employment candidates that must be met and maintained throughout the term of service.  Not only is education crucial, but the CIA is a drug-free workplace and, as part of the government’s war on drugs, it is highly unlikely that an applicant will even be considered if he or she has used drugs or alcohol illegally or improperly.   

Life at the CIA is exciting and there are great career opportunities.  Working at the CIA isn’t just a job, they remind potential employees,” it’s a mindset and a lifestyle.”  The CIA seeks to hire extraordinary people who will be their best and seek and achieve the highest of career goals.  The CIA values integrity, teamwork, total participation, innovation, adaptation, accountability and continuous improvement.   While many people associate the CIA exclusively with spy activity, the “clandestine service” area is just one part of the CIA.  Most employees work in analytical positions, language positions, science, engineering and technology. 

While the Central Intelligence Agency demands a great deal from their employees and constantly seeks for only the highest standards of excellence, it boasts some great benefits from working with them, not the least of which is knowing that you are making a difference for your country.  In addition, you’ll be on the leading edge of your career specialty and get to work with very talented and intelligent people who have a great diversity of interests and ideas.  No day is ever the same, never boring or routine, and your career can take varied paths without ever switching employers.  And, you never have to talk about your work while you are away from the job. 

There isn’t one specific field of study that is better than another in planning for future employment within the CIA.  They hire from a large pool of applicants with varied academic emphasis, but the most important thing is to get an education and achieve high grades.  While an undergraduate degree is not mandatory for all positions, it is highly recommended for advancement and is mandatory for overseas officers, intelligence analysts and other non-clerical positions.

To best prepare yourself for one of these coveted positions, you should get a good education and excel in your studies, live a clean life so that you can pass a background check and drug tests, be highly competent in your field, learn another language, be personable, flexible and a team-player, stay in good physical and mental shape, and be prepared in all ways for the rigorous work that is the CIA.

• The Bureau currently employs 35,664 people including 13,778 special agents and 21,886 support professionals such as intelligence analysts, language specialist, scientists, information technology specialist and other professionals. 
• Agents work around the world.  Along with headquarters in Washington, D.C. there are 56 field offices in major cities throughout the United States and approximately 380 smaller offices in cities and towns throughout the nation called “resident agencies.”  In addition, there are 60 international offices called “legal attaches” in U.S. embassies all over the world.  Applicants must be available for assignment anywhere in the FBI’s jurisdiction.  Some agents travel frequently and some require very little travel.
• Candidates for employment with the FBI must be citizens of the United States and at least 23 years old at the time of their appointment, but no older than 37. 
• All candidates must be able to pass several tests to gain admittance to the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.  These include a physical fitness test, vision and hearing screening and medical review.   Physical fitness requirements include a maximum number of sit-ups in one minute, times 300-meter sprint, maximum number of push-ups, timed one and one-half mile run.  Agent candidates must have uncorrected visual acuity of no worse than 20/200 in each eye, with correction to 20/20 in one eye and at least 20/40 in the other eye.  (Some exceptions can be applied.) Applicants must take and pass an audiometer test and meet specific hearing standards.  A full medical history of each candidate is reviewed thoroughly and the FBI’s Chief Medical Officer decides if the applicant is physically able to perform the duties of the job. 
• Background investigations are performed on all FBI applicants.  This process can take anywhere from several months to a year or more.  In addition, applicants must successfully complete a polygraph test. 
• FBI agents are expected to dress and act professionally.  While this doesn’t necessarily mean the stereotypical dark suit and white shirt and tie, agents do have an expectation of professional dress. 
• All applicants for employment must possess a four-year degree from an accredited school and three years of professional work experience and a valid driver’s license
• If you are a convicted felon, have used illegal drugs, defaulted on a government-issued student loan or have failed to register with the Selective Service System (males only), you will be automatically disqualified from consideration for employment. 

 Working for the FBI can be strenuous, challenging and extremely rewarding.  There are excellent health benefits and the pay scale is typically among the highest paying in the criminal justice field.  FBI employees are extremely proud of the work that they do and of the mission of their agency.  They uphold their motto, “Fidelity, Bravery and Integrity.”

For hard-working, ambitious people who want to further their education and open themselves up to advancement in the criminal justice fields, online criminal justice programs are the perfect answer.  A criminal justice degree earned from an accredited online university or college carries the same weight as one from a traditional brick-and-mortar school and can be much easier to manage than on-campus classes.  Holders of associate’s degrees in criminal justice can further their education and expertise by continuing their studies toward a bachelor’s degree while continuing to gather workplace experience in their chosen field.  Classes can be completed on your own time and at your own pace.  Today’s online classes involve student and teacher interaction through media and offer the added benefit of being able to study at convenient times without having to suspend your work and your life in order to go back to college.

Many local colleges and universities offer criminal justice programs through their distance learning programs, but students need not be restricted to taking classes from schools within their city or state.  One of the huge benefits of online learning is that students can “attend” whatever university they want to and never have to leave home.  They never pay out-of-state tuition but can benefit from the advantages of the university of their choice. 

Many accredited online universities offer a full range of degree options.  Kaplan University, one of the most popular and top-rated online study programs offers an Associate’s of Applied Science in Criminal Justice , a BS (Bachelor of Science) in Criminal Justice/Forensic Psychology, a BS in Criminal Justice/Corrections, a Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice /Corrections, a BS in Criminal Justice/Crime Scene Investigation and a BS in Criminal Justice/Computer Crime. Highly-rated Everest University Online offers associates and bachelor degrees in Criminal Justice and in Homeland Security.  Keiser University offers these same, alone with Bachelor of Science in Public Safety.  Each school offers a variety of degree programs which students can choose from according to their career goals.

In a career field where the earning potential is commensurate with the education and experience of potential job candidates, expanding your academic knowledge is a valuable resource.  Online degree programs place this opportunity in everyone’s reach.

Students within the school of criminal justice will study social sciences such as psychology, sociology, criminology and more.  They will learn basic procedures for such law enforcement procedures as trials, investigations, forensics, parole and probation. 

Students interested in pursuing criminal justice careers can choose from a variety of educational level degrees.  An Associate of Science Degree in Criminal Justice will help students prepare for careers in the police force, law enforcement, security and corrections areas such as a compliance officer.  Students can also earn an Associate of Arts in Criminal Justice which will provides them an in-depth study of the functions of law enforcement, correctional institutions and courts. 

A Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice will prepare the graduate with an understanding of criminology, ethics in criminal justice, security and police administrations, aspects of the juvenile justice system and concepts of social science research.

A Bachelor of Science in Applied Science in Forensic Science study the application of science to law and focuses heavily on the areas of biology, chemistry, anthropology and criminal justice.  This degree prepares graduates for careers in crime labs, study of DNA, toxicology and also prepares students for higher degrees. 

Those pursuing a career in crime management or law enforcement may want to pursue a higher degree such as a Master of Science Degree in Criminal Justice.  This area of study gives the student a more intense education in the scientific aspects of criminal justice such as the law, history of law enforcement, sociological foundations and psychology of crime and crime management. 

A Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice is one of the best segues from a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice.  Students advance their studies of the criminal justice system, from courts to prisons.  The Master of Arts in Criminal Justice is also a popular choice for current criminal justice professionals who which expand their knowledge of these areas and enlarge their career opportunities.

Some careers in criminal justice will require even further education in specific fields of criminal justice sciences.  For example, a police officer will need to complete coursework at a police academy; a forensic psychologist will need to obtain a doctoral degree in psychology; a federal or secret service agent must undergo testing and exams in addition to special federal training.  Those wishing to become lawyers and judges must complete law school and receive a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree.

As you can see, there are many options for study in the field of criminal justice and choosing the right degree program depends on the career path each student wishes to pursue.