Police Communications Operator (PCO) Tanisha Diggs has been a police communications operator for more than a month with the University of Maryland, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD). She's currently working with her supervisor to complete field training.  

“I worked in a communications control center for Baltimore City Detention Center some years ago,” Diggs says. “I was working in another field and wanted a career change.”

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week was April 10-16 — soon after Diggs joined the department. “My supervisor [Police Communications Supervisor Shawnta Privette] shows her employees appreciation, especially during telecommunication week,” she says. The experience was memorable for Diggs and set the tone for a positive and enjoyable workplace.

Since joining the department, Diggs says she’s been able to conquer her fears and become more confident. PCOs handle emergency calls, which can be stressful. “I take deep breaths, practice my breathing, and stay in a calm mental state so I can get all the information that is needed and send help,” she says.

Diggs says her favorite part of the job is meeting new people and helping others. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her kids and trying different restaurants. One fun fact about Diggs: She owns her own lipstick line and aspires to start a cosmetic line and start a foundation for at-risk youth.