911 honors top supervisor, dispatcher

Published 4:49 pm Monday, April 29, 2019

Among the supervisors and dispatchers at Vicksburg Warren 911, Steve Cunningham and LaWanda Thomas are among the top.

Cunningham was named this year’s supervisor of the year, while Thomas was named dispatcher of the year.

It is the third time Cunningham has received the honor. He was named supervisor of the year in 2018 and was honored about seven years ago.

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As shift supervisor with Vicksburg-Warren 911, Cunningham works with other dispatchers taking calls for assistance from area residents and passes them on to the proper law enforcement agency or the Vicksburg Fire Department or one of the county’s six volunteer fire departments.

He makes sure the dispatchers on his shift provide the best service they can when the public calls.

“He’s one of the employees who never hesitates to take on different responsibilities, and does it without supervision,” 911 director Shane Garrard said.

Thomas was selected dispatcher of the year based on her performance over the year.

“LaWanda is now our training QA (quality assurance) person,” Garrard said. “This comes as natural to her.”

“For someone who had never done it before, she went through with no problem,” said deputy director Bobby Rufus said. “She’s excelled at it.”

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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