Tuesday, April 14, 2026 |
Photo – An officer hangs banner outside the police department – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins officials declared this as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
April 12th through the 18th is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, when local governments recognize the essential role emergency dispatchers play in serving their communities.
During the April 7th Rawlins City Council meeting, Mayor Jacquelin Wells marked the observance through an official proclamation.
Mayor Wells continued reading the proclamation, saying that public safety communicators serve their communities by answering emergency calls, gathering critical information, and directing the appropriate police, fire, or medical response. The proclamation also states that as the first point of contact, public safety communicators support both first responders and residents during emergencies.
Mayor Wells said every Rawlins Police Department dispatcher has shown compassion, understanding, and professionalism in their work over the past year and proclaimed this as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the City of Rawlins.
Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward thanked the governing body for the declaration. Chief Ward said he’s been a police officer for a long time and has always has a special place in his heart for emergency dispatchers. The chief said they support both the public and emergency crews, collecting information to ensure responders are prepared when responding to calls.
Chief Ward said Rawlins’ dispatchers do a phenomenal job and that he couldn’t be prouder of them.
The Rawlins City Council also declared the entirety of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Mayor Wells read the proclamation, saying that 20 percent of Wyoming women have experienced sexual assault.
Mayor Wells continued reading the proclamation, saying that victims must be treated with dignity and respect and given the support needed to heal. The mayor said the community must work together to prevent sexual violence.
Mayor Wells said Carbon County Crisis Outreach and Victim Empowerment, or COVE, is working to eliminate sexual violence and declared April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
COVE Executive Director Jennifer Evans thanked the City Council and the Rawlins Police Victim Assistance Program for the proclamation, saying they work together toward the same goal: ending sexual violence.
Carbon County COVE typically hosts awareness events in April, but Executive Director Evans said unforeseen circumstances forced the organization to cancel all planned activities this year.
Next week, April 19th through the 25th, is both National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and National Volunteer Week.
