The Fort Walton Beach Police Department will honor its 9-1-1 dispatchers during National Public Safety Telecommunicator Week (NPSTW) from April 14th to April 20th.

• The week-long celebration aims to recognize the dedicated men and women who serve the community around the clock by answering emergency calls, dispatching law enforcement personnel, and providing assistance to those in need.

“While we try every day to make sure our Communications Officers feel special, NPSTW is a time that we can really show them how much they mean to the community,” the Fort Walton Beach Police Department stated in a press release.

The department is inviting the community to participate in the celebration by “Adopting a Dispatcher.” This initiative allows individuals, families, work professionals, church groups, and friend groups to express their gratitude to the dispatchers through handwritten notes, cards, or colorful pictures from children.

To adopt a dispatcher, interested parties can send an email to khuyghue@fwb.org, and the department will assign a dispatcher to them.

• During the week of April 14th-20th, appreciation items can be mailed or dropped off at the Fort Walton Beach Police Department located at 7 Hollywood Blvd NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548.

Note: They still have 5 dispatchers that have not been adopted.