Should Oklahoma have mandatory certification for dispatchers?

Public Safety Communications, a publication of APCO International, has published an article about mandatory 9-1-1 dispatcher certification. Oklahoma doesn't currently have mandatory certification along with 19 other states (see list below).

Do you think we should? Let us know what you think in the comments section or on our Facebook page.

Here is what Sherry Decker, 9-1-1 communications supervisor for the North Central Texas Council of Governments had to say on the subject: "For the safety of our citizens and our responding units, they expect a professional to be behind that radio and behind that phone. Citizens expect a trained voice that can put their world back together. They don’t care if the dispatcher has been there for one day or 20 years. They just want the dispatcher to know how to handle their call."

The following have no mandated minimum training standards, but may have voluntary standards:

1. Alabama
2. Arizona
3. Arkansas
4. California (POST requirements)
5. Colorado
6. Hawaii
7. Idaho (voluntary standards)
8. Illinois
9. Kansas
10. Louisiana
11. Minnesota
12. Nebraska
13. Nevada
14. Ohio (voluntary standards)
15. Oklahoma
16. Rhode Island
17. Utah (POST requirements)
18. Washington (voluntary standards)
19. Washington, D.C.—unknown; no response to requests for information
20. Wisconsin

Map Graphic courtesy APCO and iStock; States with no 9-1-1 training requirements are indicated in yellow.