The other day I answered one of the phone lines and wish I hadn't. A female caller proceeded to verbally attack me for our agency's response to her request. She felt the need to scream, cuss, and tell me how incompetent I (and the agency) was. I was finally able to thank her and disconnect the line.
I thought I'd left most of those calls behind when I stopped working in a 911 call center.
Most of the time the people calling in to our comm center are reasonable. Whether we can or can't help them depends on the situation, day, policies, and if we even have law enforcement personnel on duty.
We're not a 24 hour facility. Our field personnel don't work in 'shifts' like a standard police or sheriff's department. Our folks have staggered days off and are flexible according to what particular assignment they are working on. Some days I may have 25-30 units and others less than ten...there is no set schedule. So, finding a unit to handle a call can be challenging and time-consuming (making off-duty contacts). For in-progress calls, we contact a supervisor if no one is available.
So, Mrs. Jane Q. Public wasn't happy at the information I gave her. I turned around and notified a supervisor - just in case she called back to complain.
Still, it's not fun being yelled at no matter what you do for a living. I wonder if she would have appreciated me showing up at her place of employment and doing the same to her? Probably not. So, why do people calling in a non-emergency feel the need to get nasty when things don't go their way?
I shrugged it off and went on to the next call. Same thing I've done for two and a half decades of performing this job. it is true, one never knows what the next telephone call will bring. Maybe that is why I prefer working the radio instead of the phones.
I did thank her for calling, as I do every caller. If they didn't call, I wouldn't have a job.
I don't think she liked my comment about having a nice day.
Oh well...maybe the next person will be a little nicer.