Fresno County Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher III, LaShell Aldredge, has received the 2016 Dispatcher of the Year award.

She was honored on Friday, April 8, 2016, when the Visalia Police and Fire Departments hosted the 27th annual Dispatch Appreciation Banquet at the Visalia Elks Lodge.  The theme of the event was the Roaring 20s and it culminated with National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which runs April 10th – 16th. 

The Public Safety Communications Association was formed in 1991 to serve the counties of Fresno, Madera, Merced, Mariposa, Kings and Tulare.  Each year, local agencies come together and honor their “Dispatcher of the Year”, a person selected by their peers to receive the honor. 

LaShell Aldredge began her dispatching career in July of 1996 with the Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office.  She is recognized as a mentor within the Sheriff’s Office as well as outside our agency.  Her peers and supervisors say that she is a hard worker, dedicated to her job and always has a positive attitude. 

In 2012, LaShell began volunteering with the 9-1-1 for Kids program. The program was inactive for several years due to a lack of funds and volunteer participation.  LaShell worked alongside former Dispatch Supervisor Teresa Burgamy and Dispatch Supervisor Jessica Duarte to rejuvenate the program.  Today, thanks to LaShell’s hard work and dedication to the 9-1-1 for kids program, it has grown to an outreach program that educates the community on the misuse of 9-1-1 and what information is needed when calling 9-1-1.  LaShell participates in more than 10 annual events each year throughout Fresno County.  In 2015, the Fresno County Sheriff-Coroner’s Office 9-1-1 educational / outreach program was featured on the 9-1-1 for kid’s national website.  On top of educating the community about 9-1-1, LaShell also assists with the communications training program by training new dispatchers. 

LaShell stays busy off-duty by being involved with her church.  For the more than three decades she has been a church director, musician and supervisor for the youth and young adults at her church.  She also enjoys traveling with her husband of 35 years, Gaylon Aldredge.