Jamie Pereira is recognized for working well under pressure
The lives of Morgan Hill Police officers and others in the community could depend on the actions of Jamie Pereira, a responsibility she takes seriously as a police dispatcher.
Her efforts were recognized recently by Santa Clara County during the yearly Santa Clara County Dispatcher of the Year awards banquet.
Being a dispatcher is perfect for a mother, said Pereira, who has three sons, as multi-tasking is a requirement.
Morgan Hill police records and dispatch supervisor Patti Yinger said dispatchers are nominated for the yearly award by members of the department. Anyone in the department, from patrol to special operations, may nominate a dispatcher for the award.
“Just some of the things said about her in the nominations are that she has a great rapport with her fellow employees as well as citizens that call in to dispatch, she performs very well under pressure, she is clear and succinct with her dispatch, she can always be counted on to give correct information to field personnel,” Yinger said.
Many times she is asked to shuffle hours as staffing levels dictate; right now, Yinger said, most of the shifts are longer than 10 hours because someone is on leave.
Dispatchers handle incoming 911 and other calls, keep officers on patrol advised of the actions of other officers, as well as other agencies. When a call comes in, particularly a 911 call, Yinger said, dispatchers have to stay calm in emergency situations to gather information from the caller so help can be sent on its way. Dispatchers keep track of where each patrol officer is, as well as their status. They provide information for the officers on drivers licenses and registration as officers make traffic stops. When necessary, dispatchers check for the suspects criminal history or outstanding warrants.
While looking up this information, dispatchers may be on land line with someone calling in to report a problem or emergency, as well as talking to patrol officers over the radio.
Pereira is one of eight full-time dispatchers; the department also has one part-time dispatcher.
With two sons under the age of five plus a 6-month-old baby boy, Pereira is a full-time mother who also happens to work full-time, Yinger said. Her role as a mother, she said, may indeed prepare her for the variety of duties she is required to perform as a dispatcher.
One of the most exciting, though challenging aspects of the job, Pereira said, is the unpredictability of a normal work day. Not only can the unexpected occur, but dispatchers sometimes are confronted with extreme situations that are out of their area of response. Just recently, Pereira said, she took a call that came in from a lost skier in Bear Valley.
“I really don’t know how that happened, but we do sometimes get cell phone calls coming in from strange locations,” she said. “I got in touch with the local authorities.”
Many times, Yinger said, dispatchers have to make snap decisions about the best way to handle a particular call. Being familiar with the options available and being calm enables dispatchers, even when confronted with odd situations, to make the best decision.
Marilyn Dubil covers education and law enforcement for The Times. Reach her at (408) 779-4106 ext. 202 or at md****@*************es.com.
