HUDSON--Columbia County 911 dispatchers recently completed Advanced Law Enforcement Dispatcher training at the Berkshire County Communications Center in Pittsfield, Mass.

Dispatchers Lori Bartlett and Dana Petty attended the 2-day, 16-hour course, which taught skills for handling emergency law enforcement calls by following a formula designed to gather and share the most important information quickly and accurately.

Some of the topics covered included, identifying gunshots, domestic violence, officer safety, suspect and vehicle descriptions, bomb threats, call prioritization and customer service tips.

Dispatchers are a vital link in the emergency response chain and the lifeline to responding officers, according to a press release. With high-risk law enforcement related 911 calls dispatched daily, it is essential that focus on officer safety is continuously reinforced, said the release.

Dispatchers at the Columbia County 911 Department complete 21 hours of continuing education annually.