Individuals who are willing to go above & beyond are especially important in the world of emergency communications. That’s why, each year, NICE’s PSAPs’ Finest Awards recognize one or more emergency communications professionals with Above & Beyond awards. One recipient achieving that distinction in 2022 was Communications Officer Zue Elizabeth Tellez with the Schertz Police Department.
Zue (who also goes by Liz) was nominated for the Above & Beyond Award for her handling of an incident. On February 23, 2022, Liz received a 911 call from a male who only spoke Spanish. Fortunately, Ms. Tellez speaks Spanish, and rather than transfer the call to language line, which takes up critical time, she chose to speak to the caller in Spanish and continue to assist him directly. The caller explained that a black Cadillac was following him and the men in the car were not letting him exit the vehicle. Ms. Tellez believed this was possibly a kidnapping scenario. Ms. Tellez had already dispatched Schertz officers, but they were unable to make it to the highway before the caller crossed city lines. Ms. Tellez then transferred the caller to New Braunfels dispatch; however, they did not have a Spanish speaker on duty.
Ms. Tellez made the decision to stay on the line and translate for New Braunfels, again saving critical time that may have been wasted trying to connect with language line. When the caller got to the next city (San Marcos), the call was transferred to their 911 center, and they did have a Spanish speaker on duty so at that time Ms. Tellez was able to disconnect. New Braunfels called back to thank Ms. Tellez and to let her know that they were able to catch up with all the vehicles involved, arrest several individuals for human trafficking and rescue the caller and several other people. Had Ms. Tellez not stepped up to stay on the line and translate one can only imagine what could have happened. Ms. Tellez above & beyond actions are just one example of the outstanding level of customer service she provides to citizens every day.
Recently I had an opportunity to talk to Liz about what she loves most about her work and what being recognized with a PSAPs’ Finest Above & Beyond award has meant to her.
What attracted you to a career in public safety communications?
Liz: What attracted me to a career as a 911 dispatcher is that it is a job that helps people. This is something that holds a different kind of meaning compared to my previous career.
What is your most memorable career experience?
Liz: My most memorable career experience was helping cover extra shifts due to staff shortage and COVID earlier in 2022. It's something I'm very proud of and something I had not previously done to that extent elsewhere. A few of us held the fort and continued to provide emergency services to our residents.
Another memorable moment was when I stayed on the line to translate on a possible human trafficking incident that was going into another jurisdiction. The other agency did not have a Spanish speaking operator and contacting the language line would've taken more time. I offered to translate and we all coordinated to get the vehicle to stop.
What do you most love about what you do?
Liz: What I love most about my job is the unknown. We never know what type of incident is going to come up.
What advice would you have for others thinking about a similar career path?
Liz: The advice I would give others who are thinking about a similar career path is to try it out. You will learn something new and learn so much about yourself in the process. Even if it ends up not being for you, you still learn a new set of skills that can be useful.
What does it mean to be recognized with a PSAP’s Finest Award?
Liz: Being recognized with a PSAPs’ Finest Award is a great honor. I am very happy and yet humbled to have been one of the winners of this prestigious award. I would like to thank my family and my agency for their support, and the judges for selecting me to receive the award.
Know someone you’d like to nominate for a PSAPs’ Finest award? Nominations for the 2023 PSAPs’ Finest Awards are open now! Winners are recognized in nine categories:
- Director
- Line Supervisor
- Technician
- Trainer
- Telecommunicator
- Innovator
- PSAP of the Year
- Above & Beyond
- Lifetime Achievement
The PSAPs’ Finest awards is an annual recognition program for emergency communications (ECC) professionals. Since their inception, NICE’s PSAPs’ Finest Awards have recognized hundreds of dedicated emergency communications professionals. The program is open to all PSAPs, whether or not they are customers of NICE. An independent judging panel reviews and rates each nomination based on the individual’s or team’s contributions to their agencies and communities.
To submit a nomination for any of the PSAPs' Finest Awards categories or to read about previous winners, simply visit the PSAPs' Finest website. Nominations can be submitted online through June 1, 2023.
Questions regarding the 2023 PSAPs' Finest Awards can be directed to PSInfo@NICE.com.