The second week of April celebrates National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week which honors the trained professionals who are the first point of contact when dialing 911. Our telecommunicators, also known as dispatchers, respond to emergency calls, dispatch emergency professionals and equipment, and render life-saving assistance, among other tasks.

During the week of April 10-16, UT Police will highlight our telecommunicators on our social media channels Twitter and Instagram (@UTPoliceHouston). We invite the community to join us in thanking and acknowledging their outstanding work by sending messages on social media and/or submitting notes of appreciation to UTPHOutreach@mdanderson.org.

The role of a telecommunicator is essential to the community, especially in times of duress when dialing 911. To be a telecommunicator requires the ability to remain calm and to calm others while obtaining the information necessary to send responders to the right location.

“We are the heartbeat of the police department,” said UT Police Lead Telecommunicator Carol Walker. “We wear more than one hat while trying to meet a multitude of needs and requests.”

UT Police is grateful for the dedication and compassion shown by our telecommunicators every day to keep our community safe.