Laramie Dispatcher Recognized for Outstanding Service
Wyoming’s 2015 Telecommunicator of the Year is a police dispatcher from right here in Laramie.
Linda Lamb, Division Dispatcher of the Laramie Police Department, was recognized at the annual Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials conference last week in Casper. She is a 32-year veteran of emergency communications in Laramie, and frequently received recognition for her performance.
“The duties of a nine-one-one dispatcher require that you have a level head and that you be prepared to share in everybody’s worst day,” said Steve Morgan, Public Safety Answering Point manager of the Laramie Police Department. “Linda, through her calm and cool demeanor, handled that job and more throughout her thirty-two years.”
Before retiring in September, Lamb rotated between duties as a 911 operator and a dispatcher for police, fire, and medical responders at the Laramie/Albany County Records and Communications Center.
As an important part of the coaching team at LARC, Lamb also supervised and mentored trainees.
“Before Linda came to work for us, she was a school teacher,” said Morgan. That equipped her greatly to mentor, instruct, and educate new trainees– and some seasoned dispatchers– on various techniques and knowledge of the use of the equipment and the technologies that we have here.”
The Wyoming Telecommunicator of the Year award is given to someone who “Exhibits a positive attitude towards all aspects of the job, maintains good relationships with co-workers and representatives of other departments and agencies, has the ability to function as a team member, demonstrate[s] professionalism and willingness to improve personal knowledge of the profession and share with others, [is] willing to adapt to change, and display[s] exceptional courage, foresight, faithfulness and perseverance in the highest tradition of public safety.”
“Through the years, officers on the street knew that Linda was acutely aware of their individual situations and the hazards that they faced,” said Police Chief Dale Stalder. "The duties of a nine-one-one telecommunicator are oftentimes hectic, nerve-wracking and stressful. Only a small percentage of the people in the country can do this job… Linda executed her duties extremely well.”