Celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

Photos: Fan Wang

Emergency call takers and dispatchers are being recognized April 14-20 for their dedication to UIC’s safety.

Called National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, the celebratory week is dedicated to acknowledging the valuable work telecommunicators do every year.

“It’s important to recognize our telecommunicators across the industry but specifically at the UIC Police Department because they do so much for the university,” said Sherrie Wright, Communications Center manager for UIC Police. “They’re really a hidden gem, and I like to describe the operation as the 311, 411, and 911 for the university and the surrounding community. They receive and process well over 100,000 calls a year, many of which aren’t even dispatched to police officers.”

Thirteen people on the UIC telecommunications team service non-emergency and emergency lines, the Startel campuswide public security system and panic buttons on campus.

“They’re working 24/7, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, and they are just an integral part of the ongoing operations of the university. They really play a role in supporting all of these major veins of the university,” she said.

The department is honoring their team with food, gifts, specially themed days for personnel and certificates to highlight the best of each person’s character.

Police will also write thoughtful statements for telecommunicators on a posterboard, which is on display at the station, 943 W. Maxwell St.

“The posterboard in the lobby highlights and explains the week and also has some thank yous,” Wright said. “We’re trying to really get a lot of recognition and celebration for this.”