After a Washington, D.C., career in government and international affairs, Shelby Gloude (middle) chose to start her second career as a public safety telecommunicator for the Portsmouth (Va.) Emergency 9-1-1 Communications Service. Sixteen years later, she serves as an assistant supervisor.

It’s never too late in life to change your career — particularly one in public service. Shelby Gloude (61) is originally from Portsmouth, Va., and she lived in the Washington, D.C., area for many years, working in the private industry in the areas of government and international affairs. When Gloude returned to her hometown more than a decade ago, she decided to use her skills and knack for public service to become a 9-1-1 communications dispatcher.

Now 16-and-a-half years later, Gloude has been employed in the Emergency 9-1-1 Communications Service housed under the Portsmouth (Va.) Police Department. For the last seven-plus years, she has served as assistant supervisor and senior dispatcher.

As a senior dispatcher, Gloude answers 9-1-1 and non-emergency calls for assistance for the citizens of Portsmouth and the surrounding area. The call center serves police, fire, EMS and other agencies, such as public works, public utilities and traffic engineering.

Gloude is actively involved in her profession. She serves as a specialized instructor for the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) and teaches new dispatchers and personnel in law enforcement how to access the database. She has served as a trainer for more than six years. She has also assisted in cross training for the computer-aided dispatch system.

Service Beyond the Console
Gloude serves on various committees. But one of her favorite assignments is as chair of Portsmouth Police Department Community Relations Committee.

“I really enjoy it. It gives me the opportunity to share with citizens what we do and how we can better assist them,” she says.

The committee works with police and citizens in partnership and adheres to the credo of responsibility, integrity, service and excellence (RISE). Public servants must be responsible to all citizens with a degree of integrity that includes communication, honesty and trustworthiness. They must provide extraordinary customer service to the public. Presentations are given for citizens and youth groups. Tours of the communications facility are held, enabling citizens to see dispatchers on the job and gain a better understanding of what they do in their role.

Gloude has also worked with the Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) Committee, which aids dispatchers in achieving their EMD certifications. She recalls one incident during which a pregnant woman was laboring in a bathtub when the baby was about to be delivered. Protocols were in place for a direct emergency of this type.

Gloude says, “The baby arrived before the medics did. I used the EMD protocol. I was able to tell [the mother] what to do and what to expect.”

Another incident that required her to use the EMD protocols involved a child who was present when a parent was having a medical emergency. Gloude instructed the child on what to do and assured the child that help was on the way.

“It feels good when someone calls back and says ‘thank you for your help’ — knowing you were able to help the person get through the crisis,” she says.

Stress Management
There are some frustrating aspects of her job. Gloude says staffing can be problematic. When the phones are ringing, she wants to ensure every call is answered and handled which can’t be done without adequate staffing. Moreover, she says that children who play with the 9-1-1 system cause aggravation.

“Usually, we get more than we need to come [into] that center,” she says.

Gloude handles these stressors by reading books and meditating. She maintains it’s important for individuals to clear their heads in this type work.

“Positive thinking brings about positive results,” she says. “I try to entrust upon the people I supervise that you have to go in with that sort of thinking.”

Gloude also keeps herself physically fit by exercising on the treadmill and walking. For music, she especially likes jazz. She has a group of friends both in and outside her chosen field of work, and she knows she must be cautious about establishing friendships with those she supervises.

Her accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. In 2010, she was nominated for a 2010 APCO International Supervisor of the Year Award.

With another birthday imminent and progressing well in her second career, Gloude is enjoying herself. “I consider myself really blessed,” she says.

About the Author
Karen L. Bune is a victim specialist in the domestic violence unit of the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County, Md. She serves as an adjunct professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and Marymount University in Arlington, Va., where she teaches victimology.

Bune is a consultant for the Training and Technical Assistance Center for the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. She is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on victim issues. She is board-certified in traumatic stress and domestic violence, and is a fellow of The Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress and the National Center for Crisis Management.

She is a 2009 inductee in the Wakefield High School (Arlington, Va.) Hall of Fame and received the Chief’s Award from the Prince George’s County Maryland Police Chief in 2009. In 2011, she received a 2011 Recognition of Service from Prince George’s County (Md.) County Executive Rushern Baker, acknowledging her dedication, tenacity and passion for serving the people of Prince George’s County.