President
Typically, the members of the Executive Board write their articles for publication. This article will be different. After 15-plus years of service to the community and LVMPD, my amazing wife, Tiffany Grammas, retired from her position as your dispatcher. I wanted to give her a forum to write an article addressed to those who have meant so much to her, those being her officers on the other end of the radio. To my wife, thank you for the 15 years of dedicated service to the community and to my members, as well as being an amazing mother and wife. I am so proud to say that I have been lucky enough to be your husband, as we not only celebrate your retirement, but also 20 years of marriage. I love you with all of my heart.
My name is Tiffany Grammas, and I have had the pleasure of being your dispatcher for the past 15 years. Unfortunately, my career is coming to an end; the constant stress and mental fatigue that this job has caused has taken its toll. A dispatcher’s job requires us to be at our best at all times, and when that is not possible, it is time to clock out. I was given this opportunity by my husband to write a little article to thank the officers and to explain what being a dispatcher has meant to me.
Some may know me by name, some may know me by voice and others may never have worked with me before, but being a dispatcher has been the most rewarding job I have ever had. A good dispatcher will make it look easy, but I can assure you it is not. It was crucial for me to be in tune with my officers, to anticipate what your needs were before you knew what they would be.
Being able to tell something was wrong just by the tone of your voice. Getting a C4 from you for the fifth time just so I could hear your voice to know that you were OK. Making sure I checked the 82 list before assigning you to a call (because we all know that is the most important part). Making sure I gave you every detail on a call and knowing all the people involved prior to you arriving so I could be prepared for what we were dealing with. Double-checking the status monitors over and over to make sure you were at the location you were supposed to be, not because I wanted to be nosy, but because I wanted to make sure I knew exactly where you all were in case something happened. Worrying about you on every call and every car stop until the incident was over just so we could do it all over again. Making sure I did everything in my power to make sure you made it home to your family. This, to me, is being a great dispatcher.
Not many people have the privilege of saying that they have worked with the very best, but I can. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your world. You all deserve a thank-you because now more than ever, your job and your work is underappreciated. So to all of you out there, thank you for everything you do. Thank you for making the choice to protect and serve. Thank you for doing what so many of us are not brave enough to do. Thank you for putting your community above your family. It has been a pleasure to work with you‚ laugh with you and talk with you. I wish you all the best of luck!
