Maine NENA, Chapter 42's

2004 State Telecommunicator of the Year

Keynote Speaker at this years Conference and Instructor from Ohio University, JoAnne Hollmann was part of the group presenting the award.  JoAnne is also a Communications Supervisor from Outagamie Sheriff's Dept.

Sharon Carey, our dispatcher for 4 plus years.

Left to Right:  Rob Morris, newly elected President of Maine's NENA Chapter, Sharon Carey and Dorothy Harrison, out-going president for Maine NENA.

Excerpt from the narrative of the nomination form:

At first the call was from a male subject requesting a female be removed from a residence that she refused to leave - a "typical" domestic call.  When the first officer arrived he was met by the woman brandishing 2 loaded handguns, which she pointed at him at point-blank range.  The officer safely removed himself from immediate contact although she fired off several rounds inside the residence.  The female suspect called and hung up on 2 male dispatchers but responded to Sharon; meanwhile officers set up a perimeter.  Sharon spent the next half hour gaining her trust, gathering information, and sharing it with the officers.  The female advised she had put down her weapons and wanted cigarettes.  When the officer approached, however, she still had the weapons and was a threat.  Sharon became assertive with the caller, using her rapport to confront her with the lie, and take control of the call.  Sharon convinced her the deputy wanted to help her, not hurt her, and that she must put down the weapons for him to do so.  Within 5 minutes the woman threw down the guns and safely, peacefully, surrendered.  Sharon was credited for being a critical part of the team effort that successfully ended this incident.  Sharon not only built a rapport with the woman, she had to regain trust and take control of the call and situation after the first attempt at ending the situation.  Keeping in mind the safety of the officers who had already been threatened, she was able to talk the woman into a safe and peaceful surrender.