Every year during the second week of April, the telecommunications personnel in the public safety community are honored. This week-long event, initially set up in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California, is a time to celebrate and thank those who dedicate their lives to serving the public.

The New Albany Police Department’s Communications Center is the hub of the department. Our dispatchers pride themselves on professionalism, integrity, and compassion. Their main duty as dispatchers is to keep the community and our officers safe. Our dispatchers have many duties outside core call-taking and dispatching duties including completing entries into the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS), assisting with different clerical duties from creating excel sheets and internal forms, to assisting with impound vehicle processing and entering house checks. We thank our team for all they do to keep our community safe!

Get to know your dispatchers!

Anita Mercer

I have been dispatching since 1993 and with New Albany Police since 1995.  I love coming to work each day.  My ability to help our residents and other callers is my passion.  Working with the staff of the City of New Albany and my NAPD family is remarkable.  If I am not working, you will find me riding our side by side ATVs, camping, loving my dogs, gardening and soon playing with a grandson who is expected in July.

Mary Ham

My name is Mary Ham and I have been a fulltime third shift dispatcher for the New Albany Police Dept. since August of 1997.  During my career, I have been involved in projects that include being an instructor for Citizen Police Academy, teaching Animal Safety and 911 classes at Safety Town, attending Bike Rodeos, and in the past, I have also spent time at the elementary school teaching young students the use of our 911 system.  I love being a part of New Albany’s continuing education for young people.  In 1998, I was fortunate enough to graduate from the police academy and was a reserve police officer for New Albany Police Dept. for 7 years.  Times have changed for law enforcement since then.  My days away from work you will find me with my husband and our 13 English Mastiffs, doing therapy work with hospice patients, visiting nursing homes, and competing all over the country with our mastiffs at AKC and International dog shows.

Megan Mains

After graduating from Kent State University, I spent eight years in dispatching/law enforcement prior to coming to work for the city in 2015.  I have a husband, two small children, and two dogs.  My hobbies include knitting, watching movies, and being outdoors with my family.  I enjoy working for New Albany because of the positive environment and I truly consider this department as family.

Heather Cole

My name is Heather.  I have been a dispatcher with New Albany Police since 2016.  When I’m not at work, you can find me in my back yard by my pool or on vacation near the ocean.

Lindsay Reese

I have worked for the City as a Dispatcher since November 2016.  I enjoy working for the City of New Albany for many reasons, including the supportive residents, our amazing leadership and my co-workers who is a second family to me.  When I am not at work you can find my husband and I at the softball field playing softball.  We are very active and very competitive so any kind of sport we can play is what we do in our off time.

Victoria Nauman

Victoria has been a dispatcher since 2013 and became a part of the New Albany dispatch family in 2017. Victoria enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and four legged fur babies while being outdoors. The outdoor activity she enjoys most is riding her ATV.

Erica Johnson

Erica began her dispatch career a little over a year ago.  Erica enjoys spending time with her husband and new baby girl.  She loves being a mom, wife and aunt. Erica’s favorite past time is being outdoors, soaking up the sun and being a new mom.

Elizabeth Lybarger

I graduated from Ohio Northern University in 2008, since then, dispatching has been my life calling.  I began my New Albany career in 2013 and started managing the center in 2015.  I enjoy working for New Albany and its residents because of the positive atmosphere.  When I am not at work, you can find me with my family at my son’s sporting events or in my garden.  My favorite Zen place is the beach.