Kelli Medler

Before settling into her occupation as a dispatcher for Montcalm County Central Dispatch Authority in Stanton, Michigan, Kelli Medler, 31, attended Central Michigan University for a year and studied elementary education. She subsequently worked in a preschool for two years and then directed a daycare operation.

Medler always enjoyed watching TV shows with rescue and 9-1-1 themes. Her desire was to seek employment that was, as she calls it, “different.” Therefore, when she discovered an opening for a police dispatcher, she applied and got the job. Almost a year later, the Montcalm County Central Dispatch was consolidated with Central Dispatch providing Medler the opportunity to serve the fire and EMS side as well as the police.

Her entrance into the field also made her realize she must maintain flexibility, work various shifts and long hours, and even sacrifice holidays and time spent with family. “I knew what I was coming into,” she says.

“Initially, I really liked being able to help people,” Medler says. She liked the feeling she received when she went to work knowing that she was able to assist others. “I can’t describe it, really,” she says. She currently serves as a shift supervisor and supervises three professionals while on her shift.

Her skill set is replete with patience, the ability to multi-task and to listen to all that transmits on the radio, and the utilization of empathy in relating to people. Among her frustrations is the fact that she knows she might have a situation where she is unable to help someone–no matter how strong her desire or how hard she tries. She may also be unable to obtain an answer that is desired by a citizen.

Family and friends are an important part of her life. She visits her parents regularly, who live six hours away, and her family has provided her a lot of support.

“They are some of my biggest mentors,” Medler says. “With our dispatch, we’re smaller; it’s like the second family tie. Being able to help people, I’ve networked a lot. Part of the career I love is talking with other people about everything. I love what I do.” A lot of her friends are people who work in the field—EMS and police. She can talk to them about the job, and they understand. “We all have good friendship and ties,” Medler says.

She says her No. 1 friend mentor is Donna Betku who has been in her life for many years. “She’s always there for support and pushed me to do better with everything. She’s very confident. She just walks in a room, and you’re at ease. She’s one of the greatest people ever, Medler says.

As a supervisor, Medler must listen to the concerns of her employees as well as try to make their job easier. She knows the job must get done. Through her efforts and perseverance, she assists those under her to follow through on their goals. She makes every effort to make the center a better place in all ways.

If an employee is experiencing a problem, she will take the individual outside the center and talk in private. She acknowledges that, for the most part, everyone offers support. “I think every day, being on the job, I learn something new. I learn a lot from my life and life experiences, Medler says.

She acknowledges accompanying job stressors in her line of work. “It can be stressful at times. I try not to make it stressful,” Medler says. She understands the importance of outside interests. “Doing what I like doing outside work … I have a lot of different hobbies that I do,” Medler says.

Keeping very busy, she engages in activities with the American Cancer Society as well as Lighthouse, a youth center for kids, ages 4-16, who participate after school. “We do Bible study with them,” Medler says. She is also involved with the Big Brother and Sisters of Montcalm County, and Medler enjoys making 9-1-1 presentations at schools. “The outside activities, I love,” she says.

She admits that finding time to do it all, “is tough,” but says, “I like to keep busy.” Medler enjoys other outside activities as well, such as softball, gardening, and travelling. “I love being outside,” she says.

For those considering a career as a dispatcher, Medler advises one should go into the job with an open mind. She acknowledges it is thankless job but also one that has rewards. She recalls an incident last year of a 1 ½ year-old who was not breathing. The child’s mother was scared. Medler talked her through everything on the phone and told her what to do until she could hear the child breathing again. “It was great to hear that,” Medler says.

In 2009, Medler received the APCO Supervisor of the Year Award for Michigan. “I’m very goal-oriented. I like to go above and beyond to go further with a lot of stuff,” Medler says.

Kelli Medler is passionate about her work. “I have a lot of respect for all the officers I work with,” she says. Would she repeat her career path to end up where she is today? “Hands down, definitely, I would be here,” she says. And, it appears she is here to stay.

About the Author
Karen L. Bune 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. She 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. A nationally recognized speaker and trainer on victim issues, Bune is Board-certified in traumatic stress and domestic violence, and she 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. She received the “Chief’s Award 2009” from the Prince George’s County Maryland Police Chief, a 2011 Recognition of Service Award from Prince George’s County MD County Executive Rushern Baker, and the American University Alumni Recognition Award in 2011. She appears in the 2011 editions of Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World, and Marquis’ Who’s Who of American Women.