Hawaiʻi police dispatcher honored for empathy and reliability

Hawai‘i Police Department named Police Communications Officer Leeann Tehero as its Dispatcher of the Quarter for the third quarter — July, August and September — of 2024.

Tehero was honored for her impactful presence and positive influence on duty. As a self-starter, Tehero not only handles her own call load, she also completes a detailed daily log in a timely manner and troubleshoots systems errors on her own.

On a busy call day at the beginning of October, Tehero handled three challenging calls simultaneously and managed each situation calmly, according to the Hawaiʻi Police Communications Department.

Tehero is also sure to bring empathy and detail to every situation, whether itʻs handling multiple calls or training new dispatchers.

“I am grateful to have her on my watch,” said Supervising Police Communications Officer Cassie Fernandez, who nominated Tehero for the award. “Her performance sets standards in dispatch.”

Fernandez noted that Tehero has consistently been a top performer in quality and quantity of her work throughout her 9-year career with the department.  

“(Tehero) doesn’t let section challenges like screaming callers, sharp patrol comments, or equipment failures detract from her professionalism or ability to complete all her daily assignments,” Fernandez said. “She is committed to providing the highest quality of police service and she makes the work feel effortless.”