The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Communications Bureau welcomed new graduates from its Public Safety Telecommunicator (PST) Training Academy today. This marks an increase in personnel for the team handling the county's emergency communications. A group of eleven individuals, including seven Police Complaint Officers and four Police Dispatchers, completed the 16-week academic program, as per the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office release.
The program covered key areas such as the Florida Department of Health PST Certification curriculum, Emergency Medical Dispatch protocol, and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Trainees also learned about Miami-Dade County’s geography, departmental policies, and the high volume of calls and radio traffic they will handle. Police Complaint Officers will field about 2.2 million calls annually, while Police Dispatchers will manage around 51 million radio transmissions each year.
The PST Academy is designed to equip graduates to handle the fast-paced demands of emergency services. The Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office stated that the program prepares new Police Complaint Officers and Police Dispatchers to manage emergencies and assist the public with their safety needs.
The graduation ceremony, held from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Fred Taylor Headquarters Building, marked the start of their careers in public safety.
