WHEREAS, each year, the second full week of April is dedicated to the men and women who serve as public safety telecommunicators; and
WHEREAS, it was first conceived by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County (CA) Sheriff's Office in 1981 and was observed only at that agency for three years; and
WHEREAS, by the early 1990s, the National Association for Public Safety Communications Officials (NAPCO) convinced Congress of the need for a formal proclamation; and
WHEREAS, Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced what became H.J. Res. 284 to create "National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week," which according to Congressional procedure, was introduced twice more in 1993 and 1994, and then became permanent without the need for yearly introduction; and
WHEREAS, telecomunicators at the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office 911 Emergency Communications Facility in Plymouth dispatch for 38 Communities; 25 Law Enforcement Agencies; 23 Fire Agencies; and work with 4 secondary EMS Providers; and
WHEREAS, at the Sheriff’s Office 911 Emergency Communications Facility, we provide dispatch services for more than 500,000 residents in Hennepin County; and
WHEREAS, in a typical year, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office telecommunicators handle nearly 650,000 telephone transactions, and approximately 250,000 emergency 911 calls, and now have expanded text-to-911 capabilities serving residents from across the state of Minnesota; therefore