Earlier this year, Henry County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher, Laura Roen, received the Telecommunicator of the Year Award from the Iowa Association of Public Safety Communications Officials.

The award is given to a dispatcher or telecommunicator who is able to operate radio equipment to dispatch, monitor, and communicate with first responders, think clearly and relay information in a wide variety of situations, and work in a coordinated team manner, among other responsibilities.

While speaking with KCII about the recognition, Roen was appreciative and humble. “First of all, I’m completely honored. I don’t feel like I deserve it, honestly. I love my job, and I do my job to the best of my ability, and I just feel like that’s what I do.”

Henry County Sheriff, Rich McNamee, was quick to praise his colleague. “The fact that she was selected as the telecommunicator of the year, speaks volumes about her person, not her skills as a dispatcher. She doesn’t do anything halfway. For her to be recognized as that is huge.”

Roen has been a dispatcher for the Henry County Sheriff’s Office for just over three years.