Carbondale Reporter

At the Dec. 27 meeting of the Marion City Council, council honored a police dispatcher and an officer, and announced the hiring of a dispatcher.

Police Chief David Fitts named supervisor Justin Wing as dispatcher of the year. Wing is also a trainer of other dispatchers and Fitts said he is considered one of the best dispatchers with the Marion Police Department.

Sgt. Jessie Thompson was named officer of the year.

"When you’re talking about a dispatcher or patrol officer, it’s different. It’s hard to quantify what the dispatchers do, but very easy to quantify what the patrol officers do," Fitts said. 

Fitts told council that over the course of 2022, Thompson had issued 202 citations, opened 195 cases, answered 848 calls for service, made 454 traffic stops, made 596 arrests, and seized 250 pounds of illegal cannabis, 946.1 grams of methamphetamine, and 2115 grams of controlled substances.

The City Council also voted on the appointment of Jared "Jay" Blaylock to the open position of dispatcher based on the recommendations of Fitts and Police Commissioner John Barwick. Blaylock would start in the position on Wednesday and would receive the probationary rate. Council approved the appointment, with Blaylock thanking them for the opportunity.