Dispatcher Janie Lawrence is officially the first career telecommunicator to retire from the City of Murfreesboro. Lawrence retired in July, just two months shy of 31 years of service.
Lawrence began her career as a police dispatcher in 1987. âChief Doyle OâBrien got me an interview with then Commissioner Bill Jones,â she said, âmainly because I needed a jobâĤthe place I was working for went out of business.â
When she started, on the first floor of the police building on Church Street, there was one radio and two phones. âI believe those are in the Smithsonian somewhere now,â she joked.
In 1990, Dispatch moved to the second floor. Lawrence said thatâs also when they began dispatching for fire and started using computers. âI had no idea how to use a computer, or even what it was,â said Lawrence. âWe didnât grow up with themâĤdidnât use them in school.â
That is one thing that has been constant in her careerâĤthe technology and the training that goes along with it.
During her years as a dispatcher, Lawrence worked for a total of four police chiefs and three fire chiefs. For many years, hers was the voice on the other end of the line for those calling in emergencies, and on the other end of the radio for those responding.
âBeing a dispatcher is not an easy life,â she said. âThe hours are long, your days off seem few, and you are the first line of communication in what can be the most difficult day in someoneâs life.â She said it took her about 10 years into the job to realize that she had to leave work at work. âAs a dispatcher, youâre not only responsible for your life, but youâre also dealing with the lives of othersâĤbut at the end of the day you cannot bring those calls home with you.â She added, âI have a lot of good stories, but I also have a lot of bad ones.â
Over the years, Lawrence was able to meet many new people, âmostly over the phone,â she kids. She credits friendly officers and firefighters for making her difficult job a blessed one. âI have also been very fortunate to help many peopleâĤthose on the other end of the lineâĤand those who were new to dispatching.â Lawrence, a fixture in the department for the longest, was able to assist with training many incoming telecommunicators.
As for being the first to retire from the city as a dispatcher, Lawrence said, âThey said it couldnât be done.â She reflects on her mentor, Martha Lou Reed. âShe was there when I started. She taught me a lot.â On Lawrenceâs last day, she said she looked up to the sky and said to Martha Lou, now passed, âThere you go, Martha LouâĤI did it!â
Lawrence does not have any particular plans for retirement. âDispatching was rewarding, but it was also a tough job,â she said. âI just plan on enjoying life for a while.â
Chief Michael Bowen commented, âI have had the privilege of working with Janie for 30 years and I wish her the very best in retirement.â
âItâs no wonder that Janie has been honored as âTelecommunicator of the Yearâ three times during her career,â said Fire Rescue Chief Mark Foulks. âWe already miss her voice on the radio. She was always cool, calm, and collected and as a first responder, that is very important. We wish her the best.â
Lawrenceâs take on the future of dispatch? âThe growth of the city and the growth of both the police and fire departments is tremendous. We need more dispatchers to accommodate that growth, but those people must have the heart. It takes a special kind of heart to do this.â