Gone but never forgotten. This week, and every week, we honor their sacrifice.
Our full Roll Call of Honor is available at:
UHP.Utah.gov/fallen-trooper-memorial
#policeWeek #lawenforcement #gonebutneverforgotten
Optional features are great for the road, but the seat belt is mandatory for the ride. No matter how tough your truck is, you’re still human. Strap in before you head out.
Live for another adventure. Buckle up.
Our hive is growing and now it’s your turn to answer the call for help.
Utah is buzzing with growth, and that means our dispatch centers need more dedicated workers to keep the hive safe. We’re looking for the best and brightest to answer the call and protect our community in Salt Lake and Box Elder Dispatch Centers.
Benefits include: Starting Pay: $27.51 an hour, $1,000 - $2,500 Hiring Bonus, 25 Year Retirement Plans, college tuition reimbursement, paid training, and more!
Bee part of the team and start your career in public safety today!
Apply at: dps.utah.gov/dispatch
Application Deadline: 6/1/2026
87% of Utahns think other drivers are the problem, yet nearly 40% of us admit to distracted driving every single week. It’s time to stop looking at other cars and start looking in the mirror.
Safety isn’t about what "they" do, it’s about what you do. Put the phone down and vow to drive focused. 🚫📱
Dispatcher Appreciation Week: Price Communications Center
At 6:20 AM on May 12, a quiet morning in Wellington, Utah, turned into a nightmare when a commercial tanker loaded with crude oil careened off the road, striking six vehicles and a utility pole before crashing directly into an occupied home.
As an elderly couple fought for their lives and a 12-year-old boy faced the unthinkable, Jaylyn Oliver was the first voice on the line, staying calm under immense pressure to gather the details that would save lives. Beside her, Kyler Minchey, Madison Parry, Sara Manzanares, and Joanna Reyna worked with precision to coordinate fire, medical, and air units to a rapidly evolving scene.
While the morning was marked by destruction, the response was defined by the team behind the scenes. Because of their composure and teamwork, a life-altering event was met with a plan of action.
To all those behind the headset, thank you for all you do.
Dispatcher Appreciation Week: The Cedar City Dispatch Team
On January 17, the Cedar Communications Center was tested in a way few could imagine. When a 911 call came in from a passenger under fire, trainee Jill Custode and her mentor, Whitney Smartt, became the lifeline. They remained on the line for the duration of the crisis, guiding a terrified caller through life-saving CPR until help arrived.
The entire team operated with seamless precision, coordinating multiple agencies, extending shifts deep into the night, and working through the following day to assist in the apprehension of the suspects. This group exemplified the true role of the “first” first responder: the steady voice in the dark when the community needed it most.
The lasting impact of this case remains with our dispatchers. The memories of that night, and the empathy they feel for the survivor and the families involved, serve as a somber reminder of why they do this work.
Dispatcher Appreciation Week: The Monroe Canyon Fire
On July 13, 2025, a fire east of Monroe exploded into a 70,000-acre wildfire that would test every limit of the Richfield Communications Center. In the first hour alone, over 100 calls flooded the screens, and they didn’t stop for weeks.
From July through September, our entire team of dispatchers coordinated the response efforts. Michael, Maverick, Rashelle, Amber, Rachel, Alicia, Stephanie, Amie, Alisha, Kendra, Sky, Laura, Janie, and Paeton maintained a relentless, high-pressure operation. They tracked fast-moving flames, coordinated multi-county evacuations, and managed roadblocks as the fire threatened homes and power grids.
This wasn’t just one tough shift; it was months of showing up for the community day after day. Thanks to their seamless coordination and steady voices, a massive disaster resulted in zero civilian fatalities. Happy Dispatcher Appreciation Week to all of these headset heroes.
For Day 3 of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we are highlighting the veteran experience and leadership found within the Salt Lake Communications Center.
In February 2026, a severe multi-vehicle rollover on I-80 tested that coordination. With a truck on fire and victims trapped near Mile Marker 104, the situation required immediate, decisive leadership. Nikki Donado, a six-year veteran of the Salt Lake Communications Center, stepped up to manage the high-speed flow of information.
From her console, Nikki coordinated a massive response involving the Utah Highway Patrol, UDOT Incident Management, fire crews, medical units, and Life Flight. Even as she managed the complex logistics of closing Eastbound I-80, Nikki was looking to the future, mentoring her trainee, Joslyn Downing, and demonstrating the poise that can only be earned through years of dedicated service.
Nikki’s ability to remain “calm under fire” ensures that our responders stay safe and our communities are protected.
Thank you, Nikki, for your professional excellence and for passing your knowledge on to the next generation. And thank you, Joslyn, for your commitment to this vital mission. Happy Dispatcher Appreciation Week!
We continue our celebration of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week by highlighting the professionals who serve as the critical link between the public and our first responders.
Today, we recognize Nancy Nickell and Tasha Reilley for their exceptional work during a high-stakes pursuit that began in Roosevelt, Utah, on May 5, 2024. The incident involved a suspect linked to the tragic line-of-duty death of Sgt. Bill Hooser creating a situation of immense pressure and a risk to public safety.
For over eight hours, Nancy and Tasha coordinated a complex, multi-agency response. They managed seamless radio patches, relayed critical data to ground units, and quickly adapted when high winds grounded emergency helicopters, transitioning the operation from a pursuit to a medical rescue with precision.
On a day marked by tragedy, their steady voices and professional coordination helped bring a dangerous situation to a safe, controlled conclusion.
Thank you, Nancy and Tasha, for your dedication and for being the lifeline our officers and communities rely on. Happy Dispatcher Appreciation Week!
Today marks the start of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
The Utah Department of Public Safety operates seven dispatch centers across the state, each staffed by professionals who are truly the calm in the chaos. Dispatchers are the unseen heroes of public safety, and we could not do what we do without them.
To recognize their work, we'll highlight one dispatcher each day this week.
We hope you enjoy this video series.
We begin with Alexa Bringhurst of the Box Elder Communications Center, who was recognized for providing life-saving instructions to an off-duty @utahhighwaypatrol trooper whose aunt was experiencing a medical emergency.
Thank you, Alexa, and thank you to all of the incredible dispatchers in our great state. Happy Dispatcher Appreciation Week!
This week, a press conference was held to announce the resolution of a cold case that has cast a shadow over our state for more than 50 years: the murder of Laura Ann Aime.
We want to express our deepest gratitude to the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. It was their dedication to keeping Laura’s case at the forefront for over five decades and their meticulous preservation of the original evidence that made this breakthrough possible.
We are also incredibly proud of our team at the Utah Bureau of Forensic Services (State Crime Lab). Using specialized software, our lab successfully analyzed complex, aged DNA samples from the 1974 crime scene. The resulting profile was uploaded to CODIS, returning a confirmed hit to serial killer Ted Bundy and providing the scientific certainty needed to officially close the case.
Thank you to all the forensic scientists, investigators, and partners who ensure no victim is forgotten and no lead is left unpursued. The Aime family has shown incredible strength throughout this journey, and we, as an agency, stand together to honor Laura.
