Bakersfield College is now offering a Public Safety Dispatcher Course (BASIC) for the first time ever. When talking to Gian Mettifogo, the associate professor of Public Safety Training at BC, he said that the course “is a California POST-certified course that provides (s) students with the theory and practical training necessary for an entry-level position of Public Safety Dispatcher.” He said that both the BPD and the Kern County Sheriff Department are recruiting public safety dispatchers for the course. 

Kern County has had a high demand for more safety dispatchers, which is the reason for  this course being created. Due to this high demand, BPD officers will take the time to train and teach the students on how to do the job, in hopes they will become a safety dispatcher for Kern County, reducing the demand for dispatchers throughout the county. 

The course started Monday, Feb, 7, and will conclude on Monday, March 1,  will take place Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM. It will be held at the Weill Institute, and students will be able to apply for an entry-level job as a public safety dispatcher following the completion of this course. Mettifogo also noted that the instructors “are all law enforcement officers and dispatchers.”

For those interested in this class, topics surrounding this course will include Professional Orientation, Criminal Justice System, Introduction to Law, Communication Technology, Telephone Procedures, Radio Procedures, Missing Persons, Domestic Violence, Resources and Referral Services, Cultural and Sexual Diversity, Harassment and Hate Crimes, Gang Awareness, Overview of Emergency Medical Dispatching, Stress Management, Critical Incidents, Practical Application Activities, and Law Enforcement Telecommunications. 

Mettifogo said that if you missed this class this semester, do not worry as another course is being planned for the fall of 2022. The course is not limited to those in law enforcement personnel, but to any student who is interested in a career as a Public Safety Dispatcher. Register fast however, as seats are limited to only 25 students per course.