This week, I want to recognize a special set of employees that doesn’t often get the recognition it deserves: our telecommunicators, also known as dispatch. They’re the men and women who take your emergency and non-emergency calls and connect you with the services you need.
I’m especially proud to announce that your Sheriff’s Office’s telecommunicators Jennifer Pitts, Jeff Shepherd, Brandy Songer and Jacklynn Webster have been honored as the North Central Texas Council of Governments Telecommunications Team of the Year. This was the top award presented for our region, which includes 44 PSAPs, or Public Safety Answering Points, among its 13 counties.
They received the Telecommunications Team of the Year award for the outstanding work they did during the Dec. 26, 2015, tornado that struck Ellis County. During the first hour alone, they handled 67 calls regarding the tornado – in addition to 18 other, unrelated calls for service alongside the calls taken for other agencies.
Not only were they inundated with incoming calls from the public, this team was dispatching for the seven Deputies on patrol at the time the tornado struck, as well as the almost 30 additional members of our agency who rapidly responded alongside members of the numerous Fire Departments we dispatch for as part of our service.
The job that these dispatchers did in their role as the thin golden line is simply amazing, what with the constant influx of calls and the need to keep information updated in the computer while maintaining status checks on all of the personnel who had responded.
The NCTCOG accolades for your Sheriff’s Office’s telecommunications team didn’t stop with the Team of the Year Award. I’m also very proud to announce that our telecommunicator Amber Barber was named 9-1-1 Professional of the Year for her acts of kindness and for always being ready to help others.
And I’m also very proud that a second team of dispatchers here at your Sheriff’s Office was in the running for Team of the Year honors. Amber Green, Justin Milligan, Caitlin Needham and Brandy Songer were honored as a nominee in this category for their skillful and quick handling of a 9-1-1 call that involved the dispatching of our deputies and other first responders to a shooting that took place near Garrett earlier this year.
I want to personally thank each and every one of our dispatchers for the job that they do and the service they render every hour of every day to our county. We are a 24/7 agency and our thin golden line is always there to facilitate communication between you – the community we serve – and whatever help you need dispatched in your direction.
As always, please keep our military and service personnel in your thoughts and prayers. It’s because of their service and safekeeping of our great nation that we’re able to enjoy the rights and freedoms that we have.
May you and your loved ones have a Blessed Week.
Johnny Brown has served as Sheriff of Ellis County since Jan. 1, 2009, and is a graduate of the National Sheriff’s Institute. He has been in law enforcement for more than 20 years and holds a Master’s Peace Officer’s Certificate with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.