Middleton Police Department

Submitted by Wendy McKnight

I am the very proud working supervisor of five full time and two part time dispatchers.   Although my position involves many administrative tasks, my heart will always wear a headset and its where I feel the most fulfilled.  Although my biggest role is to champion for my team within my department and for all of us in our field – this group of mine deserves a little more love this NPSTW.  August of 2018 brought record flooding to our city, breaking call activing records in our center, challenging us for several days and nights.  Almost one month later, the unthinkable happened:  an active shooter entered a local business, wounding several and changing many lives forever.  Many of us will carry this one for a while.

The major incidents of 2018 made for some overwhelmingly long days in our communication center – buzzing activity at workstations that lasted well after the responders cleared from each of the scenes. What remains is an important reminder of who Middleton Police Department dispatchers are and what contribute:  coming in to help without regard to scheduled shifts, catching a few moments of sleep in a dark office instead of going home, checking on each other because of a shared purpose and is an unique experience like no other.  Without hesitation they face the chaos by sending the best cavalry they know – even when the chaos is scary, the cavalry is made up their friends, and the next opportunity to take a breath is a long ways off.