APCO 2022’s Connect & Celebrate Dinner marked the end of the Anaheim, California, Conference and Expo. The association’s 2022-2023 officers were sworn in as the outgoing and incoming presidents laid out the past year’s accomplishments and plans for the next one. The night concluded with a comedy routine.

Outgoing President Jason Kern swore in the new Board of Directors, and Past President Margie Moulin swore in the new Executive Committee. The 2022-2023 Executive Committee is Immediate Past President Kern, Second Vice President Stephen Martini, First Vice President Becky Neugent and President Angela Batey.

Kern, executive director of Southeast Emergency Communications in Crystal Lake, Illinois, touted the association’s promotion of inclusion, civility and equity through an educational offering designed to change the culture. “After significant work from select association members across this country and our Institute staff, I’m pleased to say that in 2022, this offering is live and available to any ECC,” Kern said.

He noted that APCO continues to advocate for federal funding of NG9-1-1 “to support this critical advancement and modernization of an antiquated emergency system.”

Kern said the APCO Health and Wellness Committee is focusing on the mental and physical wellbeing of public safety telecommunicators who answer a quarter billion 9-1-1 calls every year for whom “the impact of those calls is daunting.”

Kern was followed at the podium by APCO President Batey, who is Director of the Office of Professional Standards, Georgia Public Safety Training Center. She called for a consistent policy in the new year with respect to diversity and inclusion education, NG9-1-1 and telecommunicator reclassification.

“Together, we will continue to work for a fully-funded, fully interoperable end-to-end nationwide Next Generation 9-1-1 system,” Batey said. “And yes, together, we will continue to fight until the federal government officially recognizes the lifesaving work we do by properly classifying public safety telecommunicators within the protective services occupation classification. The work will not be easy, but anything worth accomplishing rarely is.”

Batey encouraged APCO members to reach “lofty goals” in the coming year. “Let’s encourage each other to reach beyond what we think is possible.”

With APCO business concluded, members were treated to the comedy of Tom Papa who, in addition to a live stage act, has featured in film, TV, radio and podcasts. Papa had the audience rolling with laughter as he recounted stories about his wife and daughters. One story in particular about the family dog, a pug, brought tears to some eyes.