November 1, 2002

East Lansing – The Michigan State Police has announced that Emergency Dispatcher, Lisa Hicks-Betz of the Special Operations Division, Operations Unit, has been selected to receive the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Telecommunicator of the Year award.

Michigan APCO presents four annual awards to public safety communications personnel who have demonstrated the highest levels of personal and professional conduct and performance in the line of duty. The awards are Telecommunicator of the Year, Line Supervisor of the Year, Communications Center Director of the Year, and Technician of the Year. Ms. Hicks-Betz was presented her award at an APCO banquet held on October 24, 2002, in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

Ms. Hicks-Betz began her career as a dispatcher and corrections officer for the Clinton County Sheriff’s Department in St. Johns, Michigan, beginning in 1986. She moved to Clinton County Central Dispatch in St. Johns, Michigan, in February of 1992, and was promoted to Lead Telecommunicator Supervisor in November of that year.

Ms. Hicks-Betz started work with the Special Operations Division, Operations Unit in East Lansing, Michigan, in October of 1995. She was presented with the Civilian of the Year award in 2001.

As an emergency dispatcher, Ms. Hicks-Betz’s duties include: handling emergency and non-emergency requests for service, operating the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN) including statewide assistance to LEIN operators through the LEIN Help Desk, and answering calls and processing information for the Arson Control Hotline, School Violence Hotline, and Amber Alert system. Ms. Hicks-Betz has been a LEIN instructor at the Mid-Michigan Police Academy (Lansing Community College) as well as a Michigan State Police first aid instructor.