During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, our team took time out to recognize the heroes who work tirelessly each day behind the scenes in Walker County. Here are some of their accomplishments over the past year:

Theresa Parker Dispatcher of the Year for 2026: Rebecca Pope
Rebecca Pope has 28 years of service in 911. She is described as someone who consistently goes above and beyond, helping co-workers on her shift and those on other shifts. Rebecca is always on time for work, a great dispatcher, and a role model for both less seasoned and seasoned dispatchers. She is always willing to go the extra mile, stay over, come in early, or assist with training… offering anything she can do to help. 

Rebecca shows callers compassion and is always there to help her shift during critical calls. She is also an outstanding supervisor and a very valuable member of Walker County 911.

The Theresa Parker Dispatcher of the Year award was first awarded in 2010, in honor of Parker, who was tragically murdered. A plaque with the names of all former recipients of the Theresa Parker Dispatcher of the Year award hangs in the hallway at the Walker County E-911 building.

Here is a list of the other awards presented during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week:

Teamwork Awards:
Sammy Rowland, Rebecca Pope, Catessa Vines and Meagan Henderson received the Teamwork Award for their response during a plane crash in LaFayette in March 2025. 

Sammy Rowland, Kelly Steele, Christy Hicks and Holly Ramons received the Teamwork Award for their response during a double child fatality in April 2025.

Marty Lee, Meagan Henderson and Beth McJunkin received the Teamwork Award for their response helping in search and rescue efforts for several lost individuals while also maintaining the county console.

Catessa Vines and Jackson Boyd received the Teamwork Award for their response during a joint effort with Catoosa County to locate a person who had called a pharmacy and then became unresponsive.

Meagan Henderson, Alex Allen, Ally Fransiso and Beth McJunkin received the Teamwork Award for their response during a shooting in April 2026.

Teamwork Awards:
Four dispatchers received recognition for going above and beyond. Alyssa Steele helped the National Suicide Hotline for Veterans locate someone who called threatening to shoot himself. Jerry Holder and Beth McJunkin received a compliment from the public for their work during an incident in November 2025. Sammy Rowland helped get information from a student in Minnesota about an online friend threatening to harm herself to a local agency that located the child.

Stork Award:
Kelly Steele stayed on the phone with a caller while a baby boy was born in October 2025.

CPR Save:
Beth McJunkin, Sammy Rowland, Rebecca Pope, Marty Lee, Kelly Steele and Meagan Henderson

Adopt-A-Dispatcher: This year, we launched an Adopt-A-Dispatcher program, giving the community an opportunity to help recognize the critical work these men and women do in service to Walker County. 

We would like to thank those who contributed to the program in 2026: Abigail Griffith, Wendy Branham, Brian and Stephanie Wolfe, China Russ, James Durham, Susan Veazey, Susie Gilley, Anissa Collins with Synovus Bank, Donna Finch, Sharon Gray, Tammy Galyon, Regina Harris, Lafayette Woman’s Club, Jessica Cella, Susan Tankersley with Lane’s Funeral Home, Lacey Smith, Ashley Careathers, Karen Johnson, Jennifer Snider, Barbara Hambrick, Sharon Evans (Walker County Tax Office), Laurie Laderer, Zaxby’s of LaFayette, Crystal Willoughby, Stacey Boyd, Nathan Farrow (Walker County Fire), Life Force, and an anonymous giver.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.