During the third week of April, telecommunicators at Kentucky State Police Post 11 in London will share the spotlight with more than 200,000 fellow communicators throughout the United States who make a difference in the lives of others every day.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 12-18) will focus recognition on this unique breed of specialists who play a vital role in the delivery of public safety services to those in need. More than just a voice on the other end of the line, these heroes behind the headsets often save lives on a daily basis.
“Kentucky State Police telecommunicators exhibit a number of qualities and characteristics that are absolutely imperative to the success of our mission,” says KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer. “They have the ability to handle very stressful, challenging conditions and flexible work schedules. They show empathy in dealing with others and have the ability to quickly learn and adapt, especially in areas of technology,” he says.
In addition to handling calls from the public, KSP telecommunicators also handle dispatch duties for Kentucky State Troopers, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers, Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers and other emergency service agencies. They act as a lifeline for officers in the field, providing a constant link to resources that can often be the difference between life and death. Their duties include dealing with highly emotional callers and interacting with other law enforcement and emergency service agencies, calling wrecker services, notifying channels of administration, running license plate and drivers license numbers, running criminal histories and notifying family members while continuing to answer new calls and handling other radio traffic.
“We couldn’t do our jobs without them,” says Brewer. “We depend on them every day so it is fitting that we take this time to recognize their value and dedication to the mission of the Kentucky State Police and to the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
KSP employs 191 telecommunicators at its 16 posts throughout the state. In 2014, they handled
551,500 calls. Post 11 in London has 10 telecommunicators on staff who handle calls from a 7-county area. Last year, they responded to 35,566 calls.
The Post 11 telecommunications team includes: David Anders of London, Brian Bullock of Brodhead, Doug Jones of Lily, Angel Sloan of London, Derek Baker of Corbin, John Moreland of London, Joe Jones of London, Kris Gilliam of Corbin, Angie Matney of Keavy and Angie Owens of Orlando.
To watch a short video about KSP telecommunicators, click on or visit the following link:
