Going home every day knowing he has helped make a difference to someone’s life is what Nottinghamshire Police control room dispatcher Ali Hussain enjoys most about his job.
Ali’s key role involves quickly gathering and assessing information from a caller and determining the most appropriate policing response, identifying what resources are needed, based on risk and vulnerability, and then sending the appropriate officers to those who are most in need of police help.
Working together, dispatchers communicate with officers working on the ground and advise them to ensure people receive the help and support they need.
Ali, 27, has worked in the control room since early 2018. He initially started as a call handler and for the last 18 months has been working as a dispatcher.
He said: “If you’re interested in helping people and you want a job where every day is different then I would definitely encourage you to apply to join the police.
“I can’t remember a day when I’ve gone home and I’ve not helped someone or made a little bit of difference to someone’s life. That’s always going to be my favourite part of the job.”
He added: “There have been so many incidents where you can hear how much you’ve helped someone.
“Although you don’t see it, we can read the incident where we’ve actually helped someone, hear it from the person themselves or get an update from an officer who has attended the incident.
“It definitely allows you to go home with a feeling of satisfaction pretty much every day.
“If you’re a young person from an ethnic background and you’re contemplating applying to join the police I would say just go for the challenge.
“I’ve seen instances where a colleague might not be aware of certain cultural differences or of a religious issue going on with that particular incident. That’s where I can have my input and even advise officers over the radio.”
“Working in the control room your manager and colleagues really support you and the opportunities to move around and progress within the force are always available.”
The force remains absolutely committed to becoming more representative of the people it serves and continues to work hard attracting the widest pool of diverse talent into its ranks.
Superintendent Suk Verma, Head of Contact Management for Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We are one of the busiest force control rooms in the country and receive almost 200,000 emergency and 800,000 non-emergency calls for service.
“We are that first contact for a victim and the heartbeat for the force in terms of incident management.
“The role that our call handlers and dispatchers play is critical in ensuring our communities are safe and offenders are brought to justice.
“We’re proud to be recruiting such a mixture of talented people with a diverse range of skills and experience who are committed to making a difference to the communities that we serve.
“Our new recruits are all passionate about helping others and we will continue to ensure they receive the support they need to thrive.”
