Getting to Know Your Board…

Gina Oliver

Gina Oliver, Treasurer

November 10, 1997. That’s when I started my career as a dispatcher with the Oakland Police Department. Actually, at that time it was truly just a job because my dream career since I was a little girl was to be a teacher. It was supposed to be my stepping stone to bigger and better things; something challenging because I needed to be challenged. I remember being with a group of new dispatchers and someone asked why we chose this “career”. As the instructor went around the room, there was an overwhelming theme, “I just want to help people.” So as to not sound cold and insensitive, I mirrored their responses. Truth be told, I found myself divorced and a single parent. I needed a job with good benefits and a healthy paycheck every two weeks. Working for OPD took care of that need.

I loved my job. Working for the City of Oakland there was never a dull moment. Dispatching became second nature to me. About 3-4 years into this “job” of being “just a dispatcher” or “glorified secretary” as some of my friends described it, I started getting a little bored. It was suggested that I become a trainer. I was resistant to the idea initially but soon gave in. I found myself training new hires and enjoying it! Then the light bulb came on. I was fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a teacher. Duhhh! Training was teaching. Wow, maybe this would be more than just a job. As time went on, I was presented with the opportunity to teach in a classroom setting. Eureka! Maybe this was a career after all. I’m a teacher, trainer, and mentor all in one. Wow, my career was really taking off. I was given the opportunity to teach in the Basic Dispatcher Academy and in Continuous Professional Training.

I finally learned that my career could be as full and eventful as I wanted it to be. I could go in do my 8 or 10 and go home or I could take on as many challenging and exciting assignments that I could handle. I chose the latter. In 2002, I was presented with the opportunity to become one of the founding members of Oakland’s Tactical Dispatch Team. Being pregnant wasn’t a deterrent (Oh yeah, I snuck a wedding in there in 2000). After all, I wasn’t going to be pregnant forever. My son was born May 2002 and I officially joined the team or TOST (Tactical Operations Support Team). It was something new and different. I loved every minute of it. Soon after, I became a board member of the CTDA (California Tactical Dispatcher Association) now known as Cal-Eda.

Somewhere around 2003-2004, I decided that I was ready to enter the world of supervision. Unfortunately, my test score said otherwise. I vowed to be more prepared the next time. I picked the brains of those I chose as my mentors and studied on my own. Early 2009, the opportunity to test for supervisor presented itself again. I took the test and after several agonizing weeks, I received the results. I scored number one! October 2010 marked one year in my role as a supervisor. I am also the team leader for TOST. I must admit the challenges have sometimes been seemingly overwhelming. I won’t back down. It’s dealing with people on a whole new level. I’ve come a long way to get to this career from my job back in 1997.

I’m not all about work, however. Remember when I started the job I was a single parent. I’ve enjoyed watching my daughter grow up and blossom into a beautiful young lady. She kept me busy through the years chasing her and her traveling basketball team. I wouldn’t trade those years for anything in the world. And remember I mentioned being pregnant in 2002? My son keeps me on my toes. Between the job and my kids, life is never dull. When I’m not with my kids, I love finding a little me time (not that I find it that often). Listening to music, enjoying a glass of wine (or shot of tequila), and reading a good book are all things I love to do.

Over the years, I’ve made several good friends. As I reflect on my sea of friends, I find they are all different. Some I enjoy concerts and shows with; while there are yet others that encourage relaxation and decompressing. We can hang out and enjoy each other’s company doing something as simple as putting a puzzle together. I love them all the same and wouldn’t trade them for the world, not even Kurt!