YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS – According to a YPD media statement, Dispatcher Maria Curtis was awarded an official letter of commendation for her tenacious efforts in helping a veteran in immediate crisis earlier in September. Yarmouth Police Chief Kevin Lennon presented Dispatcher Curtis with the official commendation letter in recognition of her response to an involuntary mental health hospitalization (“Section 12”) regarding a suicidal male veteran.

On Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 1:48 p.m., the Yarmouth PD Dispatch Center received a call from the Veteran Affairs Police regarding a suicidal veteran who was in immediate crisis. The veteran was reportedly intoxicated with his whereabouts unknown, and VA Police needed help finding him forthwith. His possible connection to Cape Cod was also unknown at the time of the call.

Dispatcher Curtis quickly dispatched patrol officers to the area of a “phone ping” provided by VA Police. Searching for his motor vehicle, responding officers were unable to locate the veteran or the car he was believed to be driving.

Without much else to go on, Dispatcher Curtis began researching. She was looking for any connections the veteran may have in the area. Dispatcher Curtis was eventually able to locate a West Yarmouth address for the man’s mother.

Thankfully, the tenacity of Dispatcher Curtis paid off. Officers were able to locate the man in order to get him the help he needed. He was then safely transported to the hospital for treatment.

HN NOTE:  Dispatching Centers are extremely busy places where multitasking, self-initiated researching, and creative problem-solving skills are paramount.  Most importantly, a good dispatcher has to care about people in crisis… they also have to be wide awake and quick thinking!  A police department is only as good as its dispatchers.  They are the public’s first point of contact with the agency, and a lot rides on their shoulders.  Good dispatchers are the backbone of any public safety operation.

The YPD’s media statement concludes as follows:

“Dispatcher Curtis’ initiative to use her years of experience to track down information directly resulted in bringing this incident to a successful conclusion.

She represented herself and the Yarmouth Police Department with great competency and professionalism.

We are proud of the work all of our dispatchers do on a daily basis and honored to have Dispatcher Curtis here at YPD.”

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