FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 16, 2010

MUW police dispatcher recognized

By Jill O'Bryant

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- "Above and beyond the call of duty," "attention to detail" and "a calming force" -- these are just a few of the good things MUW Police Chief Kennedy Meaders had to say about MUW Police Dispatcher Jan Pickard's recent handling of a possible missing student situation.

Because of her handling of the situation, Meaders is recognizing her with a Letter of Commendation.

"She went above and beyond the call of duty after receiving a phone call from the mother of one of students who was missing," he said. "The mother stated that Jan's quick attention to detail and the way she handled the situation was a calming force behind her not getting very upset and distraught."

The student had been entered on NCIC as a missing person by the Jasper County Sheriff Department, and he had been missing over 24 hours. After trying the student's two known cell phone numbers and receiving no answer, Meaders contacted Sprint Security Corporation to try to get a GPS location of the phone. Just before Sprint was about to do the GPS locator, the son called his mom and dad while they were in the MUW Police Department. He told them that he was OK and that he was on his way back to campus.

"This was a happy ending to a situation that could have ended in tragedy. Jan Pickard did a tremendous job and I feel she should be recognized."