Dispatchers, animal control officer celebrated

Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Bella Vista police chief James Graves (left) stands at the turnaround point as dispatchers tackle the three-legged race. Fire Chief Steve Sims, background, works with Leslianne Pratt just behind dispatcher Jamie Abbott and dispatch supervisor Christy Terry, both teams trying to catch up with dispatchers Blake Hendricks and Nick Collins, who are attempting to turn around.
Keith Bryant/The Weekly Vista Bella Vista police chief James Graves (left) stands at the turnaround point as dispatchers tackle the three-legged race. Fire Chief Steve Sims, background, works with Leslianne Pratt just behind dispatcher Jamie Abbott and dispatch supervisor Christy Terry, both teams trying to catch up with dispatchers Blake Hendricks and Nick Collins, who are attempting to turn around.

Last week was recognized as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week as well as Animal Control Officer Appreciation Week, giving the Bella Vista Police Department an opportunity to celebrate its dispatch team and animal control officer Amber Bowman.

Police chief James Graves said that this is a good chance to honor dispatchers, whose work is often less visible than officers in the street but essential to the department's work.

"We really appreciate what you all are doing for us," he told a group of dispatchers gathered at the London boat ramp to celebrate their week on a bright and sunny -- but very windy -- day.

The assembled telecommunicators sat down for a meal, including burgers, sausages and baked beans, casually discussing work, literature, food, movies and dogs, to name a few things.

And after the meal, the dispatchers got into pairs for the upcoming activities, taking on team names including the Wonder Twins, the Bald Eagles, Team Fire and Car Ramrod to compete in an array of activities designed in part to be a good time and, in part, to help build teamwork skills which are essential in a dispatch office.

Dispatchers laughed all the way through a three-legged race, a relay with an egg balanced on a spoon, competitive catch with eggs and water balloons, a water balloon toss, a kayak race and a scavenger hunt for on-site items, including dandelions, pine needles, sticks, rocks with holes, flowers, a picture of a bird, a piece of bark and an artistic photo of the team.

Police captain Tim Cook said that this gives everyone a chance to de-stress.

"These are good work days," he said.

Dispatcher Blake Hendricks said he appreciated the chance to relax and socialize with his coworkers, and he's glad to know the department appreciates its dispatchers.

"It makes you interact in a way that you don't whenever you're at work," he said.

Dispatcher supervisor Christie Terry said she had a good time and was glad everyone got a chance to take it easy.

"I had fun," she said. "We just kind of wanted to cut loose and have fun."

This was her first time celebrating the week in Bella Vista, she said, and it's not something every department does but it is something worth doing.

"We tried to take it easy because sometimes this job gets kind of dark," she said.

General News on 04/18/2018