After four decades of dedicated service, Police Dispatcher Debra White has officially retired from her position, leaving a lasting impact on the Chicago community.
Celebrated for her calming voice during the city’s worst moments, White, 65, has been a crucial link between citizens in crisis and the police.
On Monday, White was honored at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, 1411 W. Madison, alongside a dozen other retiring dispatchers.
A ceremony filled with food, cake, and heartfelt tributes showcased her as the focal point, as colleagues described her as a motherly figure with a soothing presence.
“I call her ‘Momma Deb’ because she’s like the mama of OEMC,” shared Chenetra Washington, deputy director of the city’s 911 center, as she presented White with a certificate and a plaque recognizing her invaluable service.
White began her career with the city in 1985 as a teletype operator at the old police headquarters located at 11th and State.
Her early role involved sharing information within the Chicago Police Department regarding missing persons and wanted suspects.
Five years later, she transitioned to a call-taker, answering 911 calls, before becoming a dispatcher in 1994.
“When you’re a call-taker, you answer incoming 911 calls. When you’re a dispatcher, you take calls and dispatch police units,” White explained.
Throughout her extensive career, she witnessed the evolution of technology that impacted dispatching.
While advancements like GPS improved response times, the surge in cellphone usage greatly increased the volume of calls.
Bill Sonntag, who has worked alongside White for 19 of his 30 years as a dispatcher, praised her ability to empathize with distressed citizens as a key asset.
“She’s very thorough and feels for the citizens,” Sonntag said.
White took the initiative to match articles from newspapers to calls received, helping her colleagues develop empathy for the people they served.
Recognizing the emotional toll of her job, White admitted that when overwhelmed, she would step away to regain her composure.
“The key is to have a high spirit, to always love people,” she emphasized.
She recalled a particularly challenging moment when her son, Dantario, was tragically shot to death in 2013.
Although she didn’t directly take that call, the event hit her hard.
“I actually wanted to resign, but my co-workers, who I consider family, carried me like angels,” she said.
After taking some time off, White returned to work and remained in her role for 12 more years.
In addition to her dispatching duties, she became known as Digital Deb or Digital D, given her penchant for documenting every person and event at OEMC since its founding in 1995.
“She had every photo. I don’t know what we’re going to do without someone doing that,” Sonntag remarked about her extensive photography collection.
White’s meticulous documentation includes an impressive 250,000 images on her phone and thousands more on film.
Her colleagues recognized her nurturing nature as extending to visitors as well.
“She takes notice of everyone who comes on the floor and spends time with them even though that’s not a fundamental aspect of her job,” noted Mariann McKeever, assistant director of the 911 center.
Minika Giles, who worked alongside White for the last four years, echoed similar sentiments about her character.
“She’s everything to everybody. She’s a great historian, she’s a great person. The officers respect her, she takes care of them and makes sure they’re safe,” he said.
Known for her warmth, White would even sing “Happy Birthday” to officers over the police radio when she knew they were working on their special day.
After the ceremony honoring retiring dispatchers, a procession of police and fire vehicles, along with CPD units on horseback, paid tribute to White on Madison Street in front of OEMC headquarters.
With two great-grandchildren by her side, White broke down in tears as she accepted a bouquet of flowers from a colleague.
Rogers Park District (24th) Commander Alison Christian led her officers in a tribute, expressing gratitude and admiration for White’s dedication.
Christian, who has known White for 20 years, said her fellow officers were always in good hands with her on duty.
“She’s as good as it gets,” Christian stated, holding back happy tears as she embraced White.
Reflecting on her career and the overwhelming tributes, White admitted that not seeing her colleagues daily would be one of the hardest parts about retiring.
However, she stated her gratitude for having the opportunity to serve the city she loves for so long.
“I think I’ll put my phone on mute for a while,” White added as she embarks on this new chapter of her life.
image source from：chicago
