DispatcherApplication

Rochester NH Scanner Alerts Media Group Policies

Mission and Values Statement:

Rochester, NH Scanner Alerts Media Group and its affiliated pages, including Strafford County Scanner Alerts, Carroll County & Lakes Region Scanner Alerts, and Southern York County Scanner Alerts, are committed to creating a safer, more informed, and closely-knit community. Our mission is to provide timely and accurate public safety information, emergency updates, and community news to residents across these regions. We aim to foster collaboration, promote unity, and empower individuals with knowledge that helps them make informed decisions.

Our Values:

• Community Safety: Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our community members. We are dedicated to sharing crucial information that enhances public safety, enabling individuals to protect themselves and others.

• Transparency: We believe in open and honest communication. We strive to provide accurate and reliable information, maintaining the trust our community places in us.

• Respect: We value diverse perspectives and opinions within our community. We encourage respectful and constructive discussions, fostering an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

• Responsibility: We recognize the significant responsibility that comes with disseminating information. We are committed to ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the content we share.

Submitted Media Policy:

All photographs and videos submitted to any of our social media platforms, via text, email, instant message, or other means, become the property of Rochester, NH Scanner Alerts Media Group for use and distribution as deemed appropriate. We encourage our followers to share media with us for the benefit of the community. If you wish to have your personal contact information shared for credit on media, please submit that information along with the media. However, we reserve the right to reject any media submission or hold it for later use.

Post Deletion Policy:

We recognize the importance of constructive dialogue. We will not delete posts simply at the request of any person or agency. A compelling reason must be presented to our moderation team for a post to be considered for deletion. We strive to maintain a respectful and informative environment for our community.

Banning Policy and Reinstatement:

We reserve the right to ban any individual from our pages for any reason. If a user believes they have been wrongly banned, they can appeal by contacting us with a clear explanation of their case. Reinstatement will be at our discretion, and we’ll consider the nature of the ban and the commitment to adhering to our guidelines moving forward.

Commenting Policy:

We believe in the free expression of oneself. However, should comments become dangerous, deeply offensive, or incite further issues, we reserve the right to take appropriate action, including removal of comments and, if necessary, banning the user responsible.

Statement to Public Safety Agencies and Public Officials:

We extend our platform to public safety agencies and public officials. We are available to utilize our large audience and strong relationships with other alerts pages to share vital information quickly. Agents can text the number on our page at any time. We particularly encourage agencies dealing with missing persons to promptly send us photos and descriptions for quick dissemination, aiding our community’s collaborative efforts to ensure safety.

Definitions:

• Dispatcher: An individual granted access to the CAD of one or several pages who voluntarily submits incidents to be posted on social media.

• Admin: Rochester NH Scanner Alerts Media Group Founder

• Call: Any incident posted in the CAD for dissemination on social media

Medical Emergencies Policy:

At no time will a residential address be provided for a medical emergency we report on. Should it be a very unusual or newsworthy incident, then the street name with two x’s will be used. All other residential address incidents will be marked as ADDRESS/LOCATION WITHHELD. Dispatchers must use a great deal of discretion in what details are posted of any medical incident. These incidents are not well received by all of our followers, so we must vet each call we decide to publish.

Police Activity:

Officer safety and the integrity of any investigation are paramount. Regardless of the situation, we must balance the need to protect the responding officers and the public over how soon we post and what details we post. Dispatchers who have any questions as to what should be posted may contact the Admin via text or Facebook message at any time.

Dispatcher Levels of Responsibility:

The Rochester NH Scanner Alerts Media Group maintains a structured system for dispatcher roles and responsibilities:

• Probationary Dispatcher (First 90 Days):

• During the initial 90 days, probationary dispatchers have access to a Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.

• Any calls entered by probationary dispatchers trigger alerts to administrators through text and email for review and posting.

• After review and approval, the calls are posted on the social media pages.

• Experienced Dispatcher (After 90 Days):

• After completing the probationary period and demonstrating appropriate posting, experienced dispatchers gain additional privileges.

• They are granted access to individual CAD screens and are permitted to send live incidents.

• Updates to incidents should be posted using the “INCIDENT UPDATE” feature on the CAD.

• Corrections can be posted as an “INCIDENT UPDATE with Correction,” with the corrected information noted in the call’s notes.

• Handling Duplicate Calls:

• Dispatchers are responsible for identifying duplicate calls.

• If a dispatcher notices that they and another dispatcher have entered the same call, they must promptly notify the Admin via text.

• Protection of Intellectual Property:

• All information and access granted to dispatchers is considered protected intellectual property.

• Unauthorized sharing of information, access, links, passwords, or private webpages may lead to civil and criminal consequences.

• Rewards Program (To Be Created):

• The page administration may consider establishing a rewards program in the future.

• Specific policies for the rewards program will be outlined once it is created.

• Confidentiality:

• Many dispatchers and admins prefer to remain anonymous, and this preference must be respected and protected.

• Verification of Information:

• Dispatchers are reminded not to post any information based solely on a tip.

• Information to be posted must be verifiable through radio traffic or other reliable sources to ensure accuracy and reliability.

The structured dispatcher levels of responsibility and policies reflect the commitment of Rochester NH Scanner Alerts Media Group to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the information they share with their community. These guidelines ensure that information is handled responsibly and with the utmost regard for privacy and security.