A west-central Illinois teen has taken his longstanding interest – and fascination – with police work and emergency dispatching to a new level.
Fifteen-year-old Jack* (Editor's Note: An assumed name is used as Jack is a minor, as well as to protect his identity as he does post crime-related information) started the McDonough County Area Public Safety Facebook page over a year ago to keep the public abreast of ongoing situations involving McDonough and Schuyler County area police and other emergencies. Using a Uniden BCD260DN scanner, which picks up DMR codes used in McDonough County, he posts real-time (when he's not in school) police calls on the Facebook page. While he's only been at this for a year, his interest began several years ago.
'I have wanted to be a police officer since I was very young; however, after watching body cam videos, I began to realize the dangers that come with the profession, I changed my mind when I was 9 years old. I honestly love dispatching more than anything,' Jack shared. 'My family has a history with the police, which has meant I’ve been around them my entire life. I have studied their work and remained interested ever since, but my core motivation has always been a desire to help people, which I've felt since I've been a toddler' His interest in computers started about five years ago, so it was only natural that he merged his two interests. And his typing speed is already at 56 words per minute, which he explained, is already above the standard dispatch minimum of 50. Jack started the public safety Facebook page after he noticed other similar scanner pages popping up on social media.
'I felt that since I was already listening to the information, I should share it to help keep the community informed,' he explained. 'I have always been a calm and caring person, and it is my dream to become a 911 dispatcher in Macomb.'
While Schuyler County communications are encrypted, Jack still is able to cover both McDonough and Schuyler counties to provide broader support for his followers. To ensure accuracy and protect privacy, he redacts sensitive information and does not post names or addresses.
'If I am unsure about a call or have limited information, I will contact the relevant agency in McDonough or Schuyler County,' Jack pointed out. 'If they cannot provide clarification, I leave the post as is to avoid spreading inaccuracies.'
Jack has also taken the initiative to meet with Schuyler and McDonough emergency agencies to learn more about how they operate. While he attends school daily from about 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., he gets up between 5-6 a.m. to catch up on calls before his school day begins and resumes updating the page as soon as he's home from school.
The scanner used to hear dispatchers for gathering the information posted to the McDonough County Area Public Safety Facebook page. A previous post is pictured to the right:
His sister – and guardian, Jill (assumed name) – said she's 'beyond proud' of her brother and the work that he does.
'He's dedicated and goal-oriented,' she added. 'I never dreamt that this is where we'd end up given how we grew up. He could've chosen a much different path, but he's throwing his time and talents into something he loves to do. He's ready to be a dispatcher.'
According to Jack, his primary mission in life is to give support to others. Because of the page he has created, last year, he was able to help a resident in Macomb retrieve her lost dog. For Jack, it's about being there for others.
Becoming a dispatcher would allow me to combine my technical interests with my passion for supporting my friends in the first responder community and providing help for the community,' he concluded.
Currently, the McDonough County Area Public Safety Facebook page has 2,100 followers. Visit tinyurl.com/McDCoSafetyFBPage to check out scanner calls, as well as news and information surrounding McDonough and Schuyler county first responders, community events and more.
