Allen Police Department Communications Manager Katie Mayfield walks listeners through the daily reality of 911 dispatch in a new episode of the department's "Behind the Badge" podcast, posted Nov. 10.

The episode covers the multitasking, radio traffic and constant decision-making dispatchers face while toggling between routine calls and emergencies. Mayfield also shares one call that still sticks with her decades later, according to the episode description.

Training behind the headset

Before picking up a 911 line in Texas, telecommunicators must complete a basic licensing course and pass the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) state licensing exam. Providers offer different formats. The Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service runs an 80-hour online version with 13 modules and requires both CPR and First Aid certification. Denco 9-1-1 offers a 10-day in-person course that requires CPR certification. Both satisfy TCOLE's Basic Telecommunicator Course 1080 requirement.

Dispatchers can also earn Emergency Medical Dispatch certification through Priority Dispatch. That three-day course trains telecommunicators to handle difficult callers, identify the correct chief complaint, assign resources and provide lifesaving support, according to the Denco 9-1-1 course catalog. The podcast description says Allen dispatchers use EMD training to walk callers through CPR instructions, the Heimlich maneuver and Narcan guidance during overdose calls.

Months of on-the-job coaching follow the classroom work, according to the episode description. That phase builds skills that can't be faked: active listening, calm control and the ability to support officers and firefighters when seconds matter.

When to call

The episode urges residents not to hesitate to dial 911 in an emergency and stresses one detail dispatch needs every time: the caller's location. The podcast also touches on toll road response changes involving the North Texas Tollway Authority and smart policing strategies to reduce retail theft, though the episode description does not detail either topic.

The episode also covers what types of calls Allen dispatchers handle most often.