ETHICS The Continuum of Compromise What Direction Are You Headed In? A Guide to Career Survival

ETHICS The Continuum of Compromise What Direction Are You Headed In? A Guide to Career Survival

Telecommunicator & Ethics “It’s Vegas Baby!”

Objectives Define the terms Ethics, Values & Character List the ways a Telecommunicator can lose his/her integrity. List the common offenses a Telecommunicator can commit.

Telecommunications Why is Integrity Compromised? Continuum of Compromise Common Offenses

Class Schedule The Continuum of Compromise Explanation of the Continuum and a discussion of the various fazes and the affect it can have on a communications center.

Telecommunicator & Ethics How does a Telecommunicator or for that matter any employee, lose their Integrity? A sense of victimization. A sense of entitlement vs. accountability. A sense of loyalty vs. integrity.

Why is Integrity Compromised? Victimization Acts of Omission Acts of Commission Criminal

Class Schedule Introduction to Ethics Flip Chart Activity-Each student in table groups will come up with a list of their individual definition of Ethics. Then each table group will decide on a common definition and present to the class-discussion.

Class Schedule Values FCA-Students will list their own ideas of what values are and where they came from. Then group members will compose a common list of generally accepted values and present to the class.

Class Schedule Common Rationalizations for Unethical Behavior FCA-Each student will compile a list of what they think may be common rationalizations. Then each table group will decide on a common list and present to the class-discussion

Telecommunicator Conduct Wednesday, November 28 2007 A KVUE-TV report revealed that Austin (Tex.) dispatcher Domonica Ivory has a history of sleeping on-duty, but was never disciplined or fired. Reporter Rudy Koski documented several 911 calls that were routed to Ivory by the comm center's ACD, and which she answered with slurred speech and confusion. Koski also found out that the 6-year veteran dispatcher was caught napping by supervisors several times since last March, and was then put on a performance improvement plan. Koski obtained a series of e-mail between supervisors and managers about Ivory's performance, including one recommendation that stated, "Terminate, before someone dies. Dispatch Monthly

Telecommunicator Conduct Tuesday, November 27 2007 A three-year veteran Skokie (Ill.) police/fire dispatcher has been arrested in connection with an on-going sexual relationship he had with a 15 year-old girl. Mark Mendez, 27, was put on administrative leave and arrested by Harwood Heights police after a tipster gave them information about the relationship. Police said Mendez met the girl at least eight months ago at a bowling alley where he also worked part-time, and that he also had another job as an events security officer at a Skokie high school. HHPD Capt. Mario Ricchio said Mendez was married and a new father, and cooperated with police after being confronted with the facts. He's free on bond. Dispatch Monthly

Telecommunicator Conduct Monday, November 26 2007 Two Paintsville (Ken.) dispatchers were reprimanded for mishandling a 911 call reporting a fight that ended with the death of one man. Mayor Bob Porter said the unnamed dispatchers failed to send deputies to the correct location of the fight where a man was hit in the head with a bottle. Family members took the man to the hospital, where he later died. The incident occurred on the road named "Head of Pickle Fork," and that's what the caller said before hanging up. The calltaker called the woman back, but there was no answer. A radio dispatcher then called a deputy and, during a casually-sounding discussion, sent him to a location on the road named "Pickle Fork." The deputy responded but found no one. Dispatch Monthly

Conclusion In the society in which we live and work, each day the telecommunicator must make many decisions. These decisions involve all aspects of life from the simplest of choices to those that can have a major impact on your life or that of someone else. Telecommunicators are faced with the same ethical dilemmas as the police officer. We are all in this together.

ETHICS The Continuum of Compromise What Direction Are You Headed In? A Guide to Career Survival