Arlo Change Makers: Kim Turner

Recently updated on September 19th, 2024

California born and raised Kim Turner has dedicated her life to public safety, with experience on both sides of the radio. 

At just 19-years-old she began her public safety career as a dispatcher, before she completed her formal training and became a police officer. In the city of Inglewood, she worked as a patrol officer, field training officer, and detective assigned to the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Unit.

In 2012, Kim transferred to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. San Bernardino County, which borders both Nevada and Arizona, is the largest county by land area in the United States. There, she advanced through the ranks, eventually becoming the first civilian to hold the position of Communications Administrator. In this role, she oversaw two 9-1-1 centers with a combined staff of nearly 250 personnel.

After retiring from the field, she worked as a dispatcher and supervisor at the San José Police Department – Communications Division, where she was also a member of the Dispatch Response Team and the Training Unit.

Today, she runs her own business – Kim Turner, LLC – a training and consulting company dedicated to changing public safety training for the better.  The company’s mission is to bridge the gap between 9-1-1 and field first responders through high-quality training and consultancy. Courses address dispatch staffing shortages, retention, leadership, staff training issues and more. A leading provider of 9-1-1 consulting services, Kim works with clients to help them develop and implement customized training programs that solve key challenges. Through her leadership, Kim Turner, LLC is not just training public safety professionals – they are shaping the future of public safety itself.

Kim’s podcast – The Kim Turner Podcast – talks about everything in the 9-1-1 space. Whether it’s recruitment, retention, staffing, mass casualty incidents, leadership, wellness, you name it, it’s not off the table. She is frequently invited to speak at national conferences and has contributed to numerous industry publications, sharing her insights on the importance of comprehensive, ongoing training for public safety professionals. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards, and she continues to be a sought-after expert in the field.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Kim founded The Kim Turner Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to create pathways for research, training, and wellness in the public safety community. Recently, the Foundation received recognition from the Department of Justice as a grant award recipient. With this support, it will soon launch free training courses that value the diversity within the 9-1-1 field. This initiative aims to enhance the skills and awareness of professionals in emergency communications, furthering the foundation’s commitment to supporting public safety personnel. 

Through it all, Kim’s vision has remained unchanged: to create a safer world by empowering those who protect it. 

I’ve been where you are. I am where you are.

Training and teaching adults in law enforcement is an incredible responsibility that should not be taken lightly. And when it comes to training the next generation Kim believes in the power of lived and connected experience. She stands behind her quarter of a century experience, and it is why her company bears her own name.

“I’ve been where you are. I am where you are”, says Kim.

During her time in Communications, Kim quickly observed that 9-1-1 dispatchers were not afforded the same training opportunities as police officers. This disparity was often due to understaffed departments and a scarcity of high-quality training programs. One of the most striking examples of this inequity is evident in active shooter response training. In the United States, while all law enforcement agencies train their officers in active shooter response, dispatchers are generally excluded from this crucial preparation. This oversight is particularly concerning given the critical role dispatchers play in managing these high-stakes situations.

It was from these discoveries that Kim Turner, LLC was born – out of an organic need for quality training and Kim’s unique position to be able to blend her experience as an officer and dispatch to bridge the gap.

“A dispatcher is a part of the team,” says Kim. “The more information, credible information, we can provide the field, the better the outcome in the field.”

Kim understands that these professionals are the first point of contact in emergencies and that their ability to manage stressful situations effectively can mean the difference between life and death. One of Kim Turner LLC’s core courses – “Active Shooter Situations” – explores the active shooter mentality, tactical considerations and the impact on dispatch operations through the use of current and relevant case studies. It is co-facilitated by a veteran SWAT Team Leader to highlight the importance of dispatch-field collaboration.

All of Kim Turner LLC’s courses are facilitated by both 9-1-1 and field  first responders, including Kim herself. When facilitators bring lived experience to the training, they’re able to fully understand the course they’re delivering, and learners are able to better connect and understand the subject.

Shaping the future of public safety

“When I become frustrated with the “system” it is so tempting to walk away, demote and chill” says Kim. “But in the words of Maya Angelou – nothing will work unless you do.”

This quote emphasizes the importance of effort and action in achieving success. Through the thousands of public safety professionals who have benefited from her training, Kim has achieved huge success in terms of a positive impact on public safety.

Looking to the future, her goal is to continue to lead the way in public safety training, ensuring that professionals are equipped to handle the increasingly complex challenges of their roles. Part of that includes embracing new technologies and new ways of learning. Kim is currently exploring new ways to enhance her training programs through the use of emerging technologies, such as virtual reality and AI-driven simulations. Kim has already embraced live online learning, and is exploring a more interactive, microlearning-based approach to learning which is proven to increase knowledge retention. 

But the biggest change that Kim sees in the future for dispatch is video. With video, nearly every dispatch call will be a live streaming of a crime in progress. Kim whole-heartedly supports the adoption of video and drone technology – as long as it is coupled with responsible care and training. Her main concern is around the health and well-being of dispatch staff who are witnessing these crimes in action. 

“I’m excited about the future and what technology will bring with it but technology carries with it the responsibility of human care and consciousness.” Kim says. 

Kim would like to see more research in the 9-1-1 community, to understand dispatch priming, internal biases, and how to objectively interpret observations, so we do not adversely affect the field responder’s reaction to the call. And she’d like Kim Turner LLC to partner with health professionals, vendors, 9-1-1 trauma clinicians, elected officials and public safety agencies to create a psychological wellness and care program for dispatch staff when video streaming is implemented – and for that training to be made mandatory for all 9-1-1 staff. 

Kim Turner, LLC is not just training public safety professionals – they are shaping the future of public safety itself.

“When I see the confidence and competence of the professionals we train, I know we’re making a difference”, Kim says.

Connect with Kim on LinkedIn, visit Kim Turner, LLC or check out Kim’s podcast.

Arlo Change Makers is a series that highlights the passionate people behind training organizations that are changing people’s lives. 

We are proud to be the platform behind Kim and Kim Turner, LLC, helping them streamline administration, scale their business and deliver more impactful training.