The Emergency and Non-Emergency phone lines at the Clay County Sheriff’s Office are constantly active, and the men and women who make up the Communications Department are continually working to ensure that the citizens of Clay County receive the best possible response when a call is made. Sometimes, the calls are non-emergent, sometimes the calls are deadly serious, and (on occasion) the calls can be bizarre. Regardless of the call type, each caller receives the attention and action of a team of dedicated professionals who have been on the job for a period ranging from several months to decades. On this day, we spoke with Public Safety Telecommunicator Nathaniel Lewnes, a relatively new addition to Communications. A recent graduate with a Masters in Criminal Justice and on the job for just one year, Lewnes has already handled well over 7000 calls, and is rapidly gaining an understanding of the joys and challenges of the role. We asked Telecommunicator Lewnes about the training that he has received to prepare him for the often-hectic and ever-evolving job of answering calls and dispatching help to those in need. “After initial training, a telecommunicator is taught how to handle calls on both the 911 and non-emergency lines. Of course, we’re closely supervised during that early training, and then we begin to learn how to handle the support and primary radio channels. Because of the Sheriff’s commitment to excellence and our desire to serve the community effectively, our training really never ends–we have ongoing training opportunities through online and in-person training.”
When asked about the best part of his job, Lewnes cites the variety of calls that he receives on a daily basis. “This job is never boring, and it gives me the opportunity to help people. During an emergency, the person calling me is having the worst day of his or her life. We put our feelings aside, focus on the specifics, and do our very best to talk them through it. I love helping people, and I know that I’m helping them even if I’m not physically there with them.”
As with so many aspects of law enforcement, we wanted to know what the most difficult part of the job is for a member of the Communications Department. Lewnes shared, “The worst part of the job is the tough call—the one when a person’s loved one is in critical condition or has just died. As a telecommunicator, you’re sympathetic to the hurt that they are feeling, but you still have to do your job. After a bad call, we have to get our heads back in the game. If we need a break because it was a rough call, we’re certainly allowed to step away. At the same time, we know that the next caller needs us, too. Sometimes, that next call may be the one that makes our day. One call can be horrible, and the next call could be someone having a baby who needs our help. You just never know what you’re going to get when you answer that line.”
With Lewnes being so new to the communications role, we asked about where he sees his career in a few years and if he would ever consider moving into a sworn officer (deputy) role. “If I can help others in that capacity, I’d love to do it. Right now, my focus is on my current role, but our community is growing and there are a lot of opportunities to serve others in different roles.”
Though Lewnes’ direct supervisor, Sgt. Lipe, was unavailable at the time of this interview, we had the privilege of speaking with Lt. Anne Antoniello, a 24-year veteran of the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. To better understand her role, we asked Antoniello if she had been in Communications for the entire 24 years. “Actually, no. I began in Communications, then served in different areas, including Crime Scene Investigations and as an Evidence Technician. I ultimately returned to Communications because (at the time) it provided the best opportunity for a civilian to advance. Things have changed a bit since then, but it provided a great chance to help others and advance my career.”
Building off of our earlier interview, we asked the Lt. what she viewed as the best and most difficult parts of her job. “To me, the best part of my job is that I get different calls every day. In my role, I perform a lot of administrative tasks, but I still enjoy being out there taking calls. I’d agree with Nathaniel that the most difficult part of the job is the hard call—especially a call involving a child.”
We asked Lt. Antoniello to address the impact that community growth has on the Communications Department. “Our call volume is definitely higher, and we have increased our staffing to meet that need. We’ve got a great team, and we’re always looking for talented men and women to join us.”
Finally, with her impressive tenure in Communications, we wanted to know what advice Antoniello would give to anyone who might need to call 911. “Listen to our questions, know your location, and (especially) know that we are not delaying help while we are asking questions. We simply want to gather the correct info to provide the best resources to the help that is already en route.”
Hopefully, you won’t have a need to call 911, but, as we’ve learned today, there’s a dedicated and caring team waiting on the other end of the line should you need them. With so many departments and so many moving parts in the CCSO, it is great to know that there are great individuals who keep those departments in touch.