Detroit 911 Dispatchers Honored as Unsung Heroes

Emergency call center staff recognized during National Telecommunicators Week

Apr. 16, 2026 at 11:25pm

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An extremely abstracted, out-of-focus photograph of a 911 call center, with blurred silhouettes of dispatchers at their workstations surrounded by warm, glowing pools of light, conceptually representing the unsung heroes of emergency response.The dedicated 911 dispatchers of Detroit work around the clock to guide residents through emergencies, their voices often the first and last line of defense.Today in Detroit

This week, the Detroit Fire and Police Departments are honoring the men and women who staff the city's emergency communications center as part of National Telecommunicators Week. The dispatchers and call takers work around the clock, answering calls, gathering critical information, and guiding residents through intense and chaotic moments.

Why it matters

The 911 dispatchers are the unsung heroes who provide a vital public service, working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure emergency responders can reach those in need as quickly as possible. Their work is often overlooked, but it is essential to the safety and well-being of the Detroit community.

The details

The dispatchers and call takers handle around 1.3 million emergency calls per year, requiring constant focus, speed, and professionalism. They work to quickly gather details and dispatch the appropriate emergency services, sometimes even walking callers through life-saving measures like CPR. The job can be intense, with supervisors like Lt. Antoinette Smith overseeing multiple emergency situations at once.

  • National Telecommunicators Week is being celebrated this week.
  • The Detroit Fire and Police Departments are recognizing their 911 staff as part of the national observance.

The players

Charlene Gross

A Detroit 911 call taker who has been on the job for seven years.

Lt. Antoinette Smith

A supervisor on the fire communications dispatch floor, overseeing teams handling multiple emergency situations at once.

Commander Sonia Russell

Of the Detroit Police Department, overseeing the communications division that handled about 1.3 million emergency calls last year.

Eric Brock

A dispatcher who sees his work as personal, knowing he's helping someone on the other end of the line.

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What they’re saying

“When someone calls 911, we are the first voice they hear.”

— Charlene Gross, Detroit 911 call taker

“We work for the people. We are the unsung heroes that you don't see.”

— Lt. Antoinette Smith, Fire communications dispatch supervisor

“The men and women that work here have to be very passionate and very serious about what they are doing and what they are handling.”

— Commander Sonia Russell, Detroit Police Department

“At the end of the day, I know I'm helping someone on the back end, because it could be my family or a friend of my family.”

— Eric Brock, Dispatcher

What’s next

The Detroit Fire and Police Departments will continue to recognize and support their 911 communications staff throughout National Telecommunicators Week and beyond.

The takeaway

The unsung heroes of Detroit's emergency response system, the 911 dispatchers and call takers, work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure residents receive the help they need as quickly as possible. Their dedication and professionalism are essential to the safety and well-being of the community.