Though National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week has wrapped up for the year, Emporia Police Chief Ed Owens says telecommunications officers are deserving of recognition and praise year-round.
During a recent appearance on KVOE’s Talk of Emporia Owens spoke to the relationship between local dispatchers and law enforcement officers saying it is extremely important to ensure everyone involved in an emergency situation comes out safe. He echoed comments from Lyon County Emergency Communications Center Director Roxanne Van Gundy from last week saying “It takes a special person to do what they do.”
Much like the men and women on the front lines, Owens says the work of dispatchers can take a tremendous toll on one’s mental health.
He says thankfully, the law enforcement profession as a whole has taken great strides in addressing this in recent years.
Back in 2021, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed Senate Bill 40, The Kansas Emergency Management Act, which included a section that gave public safety telecommunicators the designation of emergency responders. It was a designation that many fought hard for, including Van Gundy.
Owens says there was some pushback on the matter within the state of Kansas, but locally, there was nothing but support.
Owens concluded his remarks Friday by saying, “Thank you for what you do.”
National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week is observed annually in the second week of April. If you would like more information on the work of local dispatchers visit LyonCounty911.org or find LyonCounty911 on Facebook.
