LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In May 2022, Las Vegas 911 dispatcher, Salina Freeman, received a call she says she will never forget.
It was from a desperate mother who said she was having a psychotic breakdown and was thinking of harming her 1-year-old daughter.
Thanks, in part, to some quick thinking and a lot of empathy, Freeman convinced the woman to go to a different room than where the baby was until the police came.
Nobody was injured that day.
Monday at Resorts World, Freeman was honored for her work as part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Foundation's "Good Ticket Program."
"It was very personal," Freeman said. "I myself am a mother and I never have experienced a call like that before, and I probably never will."
As her reward for being recognized, Freeman received a two-night "staycation" at Resorts World — complete with a $150 food and beverage credit — and free show tickets. The foundation said Freeman was singled out because of her "professionalism" and "reassuring" demeanor on the call.
"Afterward, I just felt relief that the baby was OK," Freeman said. "We usually move on to the next call because we don't know what happens after the officers get there. You have to move on quickly, but this was the only call that I've ever had where I had to take a minute, take a walk, and cool myself down before the next one."
Resorts World is a sponsor of the Good Ticket Program.
Freeman said there are openings for dispatch jobs, like the one she performs in Las Vegas. She said she hopes more people will consider the career path.
"It is nice for anyone in communications to receive recognition," Freeman said. "The police make our lives look easier, but it's nice to have a pat on the back. Communications is a great place to help the community."
