Union County Emergency Services Say Farewell to Two Long Time Dispatchers
By Garrett Christensen on Thursday, June 29th, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – When it comes to emergency services, it’s often the frontline personnel that come to mind. Police officers, fire fighters and EMTs stand out as gallant protectors and model servants of their communities. However, there is a veritable army of heroes behind the scenes, working just as hard to keep both the public and first responders safe. On June 28, 2023, two of these heroes, communication specialists Rose Clifford and Dyan Snook, officially retired from their position with the La Grande Police Department after decades of dedicated service in dispatch and communications.
Representatives from every department of Union County’s Emergency Services, and plenty of current and former dispatchers, gathered in the La Grande Police Department’s conference room to wish them farewell and reminisce over their long and storied careers. Tears of both sadness and joy flowed equally to mark the end of an era.
Snook joined the dispatch team in 1998, working her way up the ranks to Communication Technician 2 in 2003 and then to a Communication Specialist in 2012. In total, her career with the LGPD spans twenty-five years. Dyan participated in 1,272 hours of organized training and responded to 69,008 calls for service. Aside from her primary dispatching duties with La Grande, she fulfilled a variety of other roles and jobs, including but not limited to:
- Evidence Technician
- 911 monthly reporting
- Northeast Oregon Regional Swat Team Crisis Negotiator
- Shop with a Cop Volunteer
Clifford joined the team in 2003, initially being promoted to a Communication Technician 2 in 2007 and, like Dyan, was eventually promoted to a Communication Specialist. In total, her career with Union County spans just under twenty years. Rose participated in 1,069 hours of organized training and responded to 71,287 calls for service. She also fulfilled a variety of other roles and jobs, once again including but not limited to:
- National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) submissions
- Crime Reporting
- Northeast Oregon Regional Swat Team Crisis Negotiator
- Shop with a Cop Volunteer
Many stories were shared, and ample praise was sung. Station 36 dispatch even went live during the retirement reception to congratulate them. Among the recounting of late nights and awkward radio calls was an undeniable feeling of respect and comradery. Union County Sheriff Cody Bowen and several others thanked the pair for their ability to help responders stay calm and focused, even when dealing with potentially dangerous situations. Union County Emergency Manager Nick Vora also credited the quality of the regional dispatch center to the dedication of Snook and Clifford in training and mentoring newer staff members, stating, “they have blazed a good trail for others to follow in.”
When all was said and done, plenty of tears and plenty of cake had been shared among those in attendance, along with a couple lighthearted requests for Clifford and Snook to stay on just one more year. While new dispatchers will eventually be brought in to fill the vacancies, in the meantime, this remark from La Grande Police Chief Gary Bell best summarizes the overwhelming respect and admiration for the two specialists:“How in the world are we going to get by without you?”
