KSP Celebrates National Telecommunicator Appreciation Week

Elizabethtown, Ky. (April 13, 2020) — Telecommunicators at Kentucky State Police Post 4 in Elizabethtown will be recognized along with more than 200,000 of their fellow communicators nationwide April 12-18 during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

These silent heroes behind the headsets are more than just a voice on the other end of the line. They often save lives on a daily basis.

Says Captain Daniel White, Commander of Elizabethtown Post 4. “Our Post 4 dispatchers are vital to everything we do and are the best at keeping us safe and informed. So this week is for them.”

KSP telecommunicators handle dispatch duties for Kentucky State Troopers, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers, Kentucky Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Officers and other emergency service agencies. Their duties include calling wrecker services, notifying channels of administration, running license plate and driver’s license numbers, running criminal histories and notifying family members while continuing to answer new calls and handling other radio traffic. Most important, they are that calming voice on the other line when someone calls 911 and is most likely having the worst day of their life.

KSP employs 180 telecommunicators at 16 posts throughout the state. In 2019, they answered 2.1 million calls resulting in 500,236 requests for assistance. Post 4 employs 10 telecommunicators who handle calls from a eight county area. Last year, they responded to 24,965 calls.

Post 4 Telecommunicators include: Joey Mattingly, Nita Franklin, Jodi Shacklette, Chuck Stewart, Corey Wright, J.R. Paris, John McDowell, Amanda Siler, Derek Orr and Spencer Ray.

During National Telecommunicator’s Appreciation Week, KSP plans to highlight the great work of all dispatchers across the state by highlighting stories of their great work and sharing photos and videos about their efforts on the KSP Facebook, Instagram and Twitter platforms.

For more information or to apply for a telecommunication position with KSP, log on to the state personnel website at www.personnel.ky.gov The Kentucky State Police (KSP) is a law enforcement agency that prides itself on attracting the best individuals. KSP affords equal employment opportunity to all individuals, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, gender or age. 

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