Dawn Ostrem
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 21/00) - The Operational Communications Centre (OCC), located on the third floor of the Yellowknife RCMP detachment, gives the impression of a high-tech and omniscient centre in which all is heard, recorded and sifted through as far as policing in the North goes.

The room overlooks downtown Yellowknife to the east and Frame Lake to the west. Computers and cutting- edge communications systems decorate the dark room, tranquil and quiet until the phone starts to ring.

Veteran dispatcher Stewart Gordon connects into the intricate telephone and filing system on the first ring, asking quickly, with steadfast assuredness, questions about the nature of the call.

"I have dealt with suicidal people that have threatened to shoot themselves right on the phone," said the dispatcher, who's going into his ninth year on the job. "I did have a call once in which a person did try to shoot themself but they were unsuccessful. I didn't know that at the time and so my nerves were shot for a while."

On weekdays, the OCC handles Yellowknife emergencies, but in the evenings and on weekends it accepts calls from all over the North. The dispatcher's job includes answering emergency calls and complaints, keeping tabs on the status of RCMP vehicles and looking out for the officers operating them. Dispatchers work alone, doing taxing 12-hour shifts.

"I've gotten used to working 12-hour shifts alone," Gordon said. "At first it can be very stressful but it's only as stressful as you make it. Nowadays I don't get stressed over very much."

Most of the calls that come through deal with domestic violence, assaults and alcohol-related incidents. On an average Saturday night, Gordon says he can expect 20 to 30 calls.

"The two most important things to ask is what and where," he explained. "If you can find that out you have enough information to dispatch a member. It may not be safe but it's information."

Gordon said for certain complaints there are certain questions that should be asked and information gathered. For example, when there's an accident one must find out about injuries. When there's a fight, Gordon says you need to know if weapons are involved.

"You also find out after you've taken the information and you dispatch members they sometimes ask questions I've forgotten to ask. So, you pick up fast on what information they require," he said.

The difficult calls include a lot of suicides, Gordon said, explaining how holidays are the worst time. He received about three or four suicidal callers over the past Christmas alone.

But he also gets "other" calls, ones he says he just has to shake his head about.

"I had one caller call in because they left some food out thawed for two days and wanted to know if it was still safe to cook it or something," he laughed.

Gordon is a master of common sense, saying that's all it really takes to be a good dispatcher, as well as strong nerves.

At first, Gordon, born and raised in Inuvik, wanted to be an RCMP officer but was ineligible because of poor eyesight. But after working for the RCMP as a summer student the RCMP "had a position open and they offered it to me and I took it because it's still police-related."

He took a two-week training course in Winnipeg before he started.

"At first it was all new to me," Gordon explained. "But I still enjoy it. It's a challenge. It could be very quiet and all of a sudden the next caller could have a gun. It just turns on and off and you never know who you're going to be dealing with."