As National Telecommunications Week is coming to a close, we put a spotlight on those first responders that answer the call. 

Chuck Cleveland is a dispatcher and jailer for the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office along with being on the volunteer fire department for Guthrie Center. He says he got into this profession in 1999 when the current sheriff at the time asked him, along with wanting to follow in his mothers footsteps as a dispatcher. 

“Like I said, my mom had done it. I know what the job was like. I thought it would be interesting to do and, you know, be able to help people on the other end. Being on a volunteer fire department and EMT at the time, I was on scene and this is kind of behind it.”

Cleveland explains the challenges that come with the job. 

“Really bad calls. You know, you got children and stuff like that. Trying to keep your composure. Keeping an upbeat attitude. You know, you come in here some days and it’s, you know, people just grind you down and it gets tough.”

He says getting the new law enforcement center will improve their workspace and is going to be good for the dispatchers.