The voice of hope in our darkest hours

It is considered one of the most stressful jobs in America, they work at all hours of the day and night, they will remain on the phone with someone as long as they are needed and they respond to every type of emergency call, reacting with lightning speed. They are the telecommunicators, but most know them more commonly as dispatchers. 

National Public Safety Telecommunications Week (NPSTW) is observed every second week in the month of April to recognize, appreciate and celebrate the work of telecommunicators helping to save lives every day. 

Beginning April 10 – 22, Sheridan City Police Department leadership and officers will, and encourage others to, honor and thank telecommunicators who have continued to serve in this demanding profession.

Sheridan Communications Technician Becca Hartman told listeners of Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse program, she has been performing her duty for seven years. Hartman applied for the position after a coworker at her former job suggested the line of work might be something she may be interested in pursuing. The training took more than four months. 

Although the training and the duty is high stress, Hartman said the community and the team, of which she is a critical part, are the reason she continues to man the lines to help. 

Sheridan area telecommunicators work within a dispatch center. They are responsible for dispatching every local first responder organization in the Sheridan area. The center falls under the command and control of the Sheridan Police Department. 

Sheridan Police Department Chief Travis Koltiska told listeners that much like calling officers “cops”, addressing telecommunicators as “dispatchers” is only acknowledging one of the many aspects of the position. Koltiska worked to rebrand the position to recognize the many duties and the technical knowledge required to be a communications technician. 

The SPD will begin an awareness campaign during National Public Safety Telecommunications Week. This will include the recognition of local communications technicians on the SPD Facebook page, allowing those who have been aided by these diligent and selfless responders to put a face to the voice that may have been there for them in their darkest hour.