'Dispatcher Bill' retires after 20 years

by Annie Wooden

In another generation, people stayed in one job forever. In today's workforce, milestones are worth celebrating. Sanders County is celebrating some of its employees who have decided to move on.

Last Thursday, the county celebrated the retirement of lead dispatcher Bill Brown, who worked for the sheriff's office for just shy of 20 years.

"Bill has become one of our greatest assets in the dispatch center," Shawna Chenoweth said before presenting Brown with a custom plaque and various gifts and cards.

Brown worked as a dispatcher with Montana Highway Patrol for 1.5 years before taking the job in Sanders County. "He has helped make sure our records are perfect and has been recognized several times for how well he did," Chenoweth noted. She told the story of how she had friends from Washington who would visit and their kids would visit the dispatchers. They made up a song about "Dispatcher Bill."

"It's been ups and downs," Brown said of his career in dispatch," but it's all the people who make the downs worth it."

When asked if there were any memorable moments in his dispatch career, Brown laughed and told the story of how someone called from the Plains area and said he was being kidnapped. The person said he was in the back of a car by city hall. Brown thought to himself that it would be easy to dispatch an officer to the person. Brown eventually discovered that the person was being detained in the back of a police car and the officer hadn't taken the person's phone away and the person was calling 911 from the back of the patrol car.

Chenoweth stated that Brown was an integral part of training dispatchers. "Bill took the training and made it a great program." Dispatcher Shelly Wrightson said other dispatchers ask Brown everything. "Nobody can fill those shoes," she told him. Wrightson, who has nearly 15 years of experience, will be taking over as lead dispatcher in Sanders County.

"Bill was always a very good dispatcher," Commissioner Tony Cox said at Brown's retirement celebration. "He always has a calm voice and precise answers. Thank you for your years of service."

Sheriff Shawn Fielders told the gathering of about 30 people that dispatchers are the ultimate first responders. "They are definitely the unsung heroes in this trade," he said. "When the fire started in Paradise, it was chaos time 10, but they did an outstanding job. We don't want to lose your talent, but I'm happier than heck for you."

Also last week, Sanders County bid farewell to sanitarian Shawn Sorenson, who is leaving after 10 years to take a job with the state. "Of all the people we have ever hired, I feel like he was one of the best," Commissioner Tony Cox said of Sorenson. "He's no nonsense and works hard."

This week, Chenoweth, a lieutenant with the sheriff's office who oversees dispatch and detention staff, will retire after 28 years in law enforcement.