Published: September 15, 2009 12:27 am      

Dispatcher honored as 2009 Telecommunicator of the Year

CUMBERLAND — Veteran Maryland State Police police communications dispatcher Richard M. Goldsworthy is being honored as a 2009 Telecommunicator of the Year along with three dispatchers at other barracks.

Goldsworthy will be honored during a “9-1-1 Day of Celebration” at the Woodsboro Volunteer Fire department Activity Complex in Frederick County today.

In the 40th year of his career with the agency, Goldsworthy is among six dispatchers assigned to the Cumberland barrack. The dispatchers have 149 combined years of service.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for your service in working with the public,” said Goldsworthy, who has served as police communications supervisor at the Cumberland barrack for the past 15 years.

“Our dispatchers are a bunch of professional, hard-working and dedicated dispatchers who react to emergency situations appropriately.”

An audit by Maryland State Police about the dispatchers’ filings with the National Crime Information Center concerning entries of stolen vehicles, license plates, weapons, missing persons and arrest warrants over an 18-month period showed only four minor mistakes.

“The audit was very good and that speaks well of our dispatchers,” he said.

Goldsworthy values his job.

“I still like coming to work every day. It’s a good job and no two days are the same,” he said.

Lt. Todd May, Cumberland barrack commander, said Goldsworthy's prestigious award is well-deserved.

“I think the award is overdue and the barrack would not operate without him. He knows so much about the radio system and the protocols. Police Communications Supervisor Goldsworthy is a linchpin here. He keeps the barrack running,” said May.

Police communications operators Michelle M. Webster of the Easton barrack; Jeffrey M. Bridge of the Golden Ring barrack; and David A. Brininger of the Berlin barrack have also been selected to receive the Emergency Number System Board-Maryland Emergency Number Association 2009 Telecommunicator of the Year Awards.

Other dispatchers at the Cumberland barrack include:

Norman Wright, who has been employed as an MSP police communications operator since 1967. He worked at the Frederick barrack until 1983, when he was transferred to the Cumberland barrack.

Joseph L. Morgan began his 28-year career in 1989. He worked for five years at the Rockville barrack and five years at the McHenry barrack prior to being assigned to the Cumberland barrack in 1999.

Brian Crawford was hired in 1994 and has spent his entire career at the Cumberland barrack.

Brian Skidmore and Frances R. Mullenax were both hired in 1997. Skidmore was assigned to the Rockville barrack until 2001 before being transferred to the Cumberland barrack. Mullenax has worked at the Cumberland barrack since she began her Maryland State Police career.

The Emergency Number Systems Board is the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services agency responsible for training, funding and technology enhancement for all Maryland 911 centers.

The Telecommunicator of the Year awards also recognize 911 center dispatchers, representing almost every Maryland county and Baltimore City 911 center. Western Maryland’s recipients include Harry Copen in Allegany County and Steve Smith in Garrett County. Often unheralded, 911 center employees and dispatchers perform a critical role in public safety. Last year, there were more than 5 million 911 calls placed in Maryland, and 911 center employees answered them, on average, in less than four seconds.

The board was formed in 1979 to coordinate installation and enhancement of county 911 emergency telephone number services and Maryland’s 911 system. It issues guidelines and determines review procedures to approve or disapprove jurisdictional plans for these systems, and sets criteria for reimbursing counties from the original 911 Trust Fund and other sources. Its 15 members are appointed to four-year terms by the governor with Senate approval. The executive director of the board is Gordon Deans.

Contact Jeffrey Alderton at jlalderton@times-news.com.