Sheriff dispatcher retires

A long-time Glenn County sheriff's dispatcher retired last week following 25 years of service.

Glenn County supervisors honored Joyce Trammel on Dec. 4 for her career, which began in 1987.

Supervisor Mike Murray described Trammel as a former "Lois Lane" who initially met him while she was a reporter for the Willows Journal.

He talked about her going with him on a law enforcement stake out of a drug raid in the 1980s when four kilos of black tar heroin were seized.

Murray joked they were in a van smoking in those days, which, in retrospect, made it hard to be inconspicuous.

He added Trammel expressed a desire then to go into law enforcement which she did.

Trammel began as a jailer in the old jail, he said, but switched to being a dispatcher when the new jail opened.

"That decision proved to be a wise and prudent one because for the last 22 years you have served the Glenn County Sheriff's Office and the citizens of the County of Glenn in a most competent and professional manner," Murray read from the proclamation the board gave her.

"You have protected the lives and property of citizens through your dispatching skills and safeguarded the lives of officers on the street."

The resolution also stated Trammel "diligently trained" numerous dispatchers.

She also took and created thousands of calls, processed hundreds of warrants and restraining orders, and wore out several telephone handsets, the certificate stated.

Officials added Trammel worked day and night shifts, worked floods and fires and handled good calls and bad in a professional manner.

She also was honored as Co-Dispatcher of the Year in 2007 and 2011.

Supervisor John Viegas quipped he had requested Trammel's retirement be put on hold with the Public Employees Retirement System.

But that did not stop him from voting with the colleagues to approve the resolution and let her retire.

"It has been quite a life-changing experience," Trammel said. "It's been good."

She said she and her husband have a travel trailer and plan to start traveling once the rain stops.