Being on the frontlines comes with recognition, praise, appreciation. However, there are others worthy of recognition, praise and appreciation who rarely are in the spotlight.
Most people are fairly well aware that when trouble calls upon them, they may call 911. However, very few realize what transpires between dialing the digits and the arrival of a large, economy size officer to help them out.
"Artesia 911," answers Monica Arrey, Artesia Police Department dispatcher/records clerk. Calmly, pertinent details are taken then relayed via radio to personnel in the field.
While this may sound like a simple enough task, 911 calls are often made by individuals in crisis situations, excited, emotional - it is the responsibility of the dispatcher to obtain the nature of the emergency and determine which department needs to be notified.
An address may need to be verified or immediate first aid instruction given. Life and death circumstances depend on a dispatcher’s ability to get accurate information.
Monica started her career in law enforcement in the summer of 1994, working as a dispatcher for the Roswell Campus Police while she was a student at ENMU-Roswell.
In 1997, she was hired as a dispatcher/jailer for the Artesia Police Department. She attended the Academy in Santa Fe and graduated in August 1998. She transferred to the records department in February 1999.
As a jailer, she described needing to have compassion, while still maintaining a professional objectivity.
As a dispatcher and in the office, she explains, "I like the adventure - the thrill of it. Today is nothing like yesterday, every day is different. You never know what you’re going to have to deal with until ..."
Monica choose not to be a field officer and recognizes the importance of being behind-the-scenes. However, she is in a unique position to understand the special stresses for families of law enforcement officers, as her husband, Rudy, is an Eddy County Sheriff’s deputy.
When Rudy worked for APD, Monica had the responsibility of being his dispatcher for two years, as well as his wife. She admitted there have been some anxious moments, having to send him into dangerous situations. But she was stalwart and professional, knowing they both had jobs to do.
Quietly, as an officer’s wife, she spoke of the ever-present concern she shares with law enforcement families across the nation, "If anything happens to him, at least I would be the first to know."
In the records division, Monica is responsible for filing field reports in the computer and hard copies to appropriate folders. As she organizes incidents on a daily basis, she compiles the information into a "blotter" format, a copy of which is the basis for the Artesia Daily Press Public Record.
The records division also releases background checks and accident reports, as well as having data organized and ready for court cases.
One thing that haunts Monica about her chosen profession, "Small children as victims - I wish that didn’t exist." As a mother and mother-to-be, this is understandable.
Monica’s dark eyes glitter with adoration as she speaks of her children, a gentle smile crossing her lips as she recognizes her daughter’s voice on the phone, excusing herself to chat with her a moment, ending the conversation with a tender, "I love you."
The Arrey family includes Joann, 8; Harvey, 7; Kandice-Rose, 4; Angelica, also known as "Punkin", 2 and Baby ?, due to arrive in September.
She recalls being asked to offer the invocation for the commencement ceremony at the academy. She laughs softly, relating how her classmates nominated her, confident of her composure, and how emotional the event turned out to be.
Her sweet spirit and faith are evident, even as she maintains a professional caution. The Arreys attend Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.
Monica loves to shop, citing shoes as her purchase of choice, to which her husband, Rudy, and a packed closet will attest.
She is also a professional baseball fan, favoring the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Arreys enjoy attending ball games when they can.
Sunflowers and dolphins find their way into her decor and collections, but, she exclaims, "I don’t like the Miami Dolphins!"
Monica chuckles, noting that while she still likes the Dallas Cowboys well enough, she is a "huge Aikman fan."
So, there’s a real person on the other end of a 911 line, a mother, a wife, a daughter ... a quiet hero.