One Monticello Life: Gail Hyatt, Police Dispatcher
March 9th, 2008 by Joe Burgess
Aside from Monticello’s 2 Time & Temperature telephone numbers, the Monticello Police Department’s number probably got answered Friday and Saturday more than any other number in Monticello.
First, let me say that I’ve spent 3 years working in the field of law enforcement dispatching, and although MPD answers call for the Police Dept, Sheriff’s Office, all area fire depts., both ambulance services, the rescue unit, and at times for the Arkansas State Police, just remember, they ARE NOT responsible for Cablevision, or for Entergy.
Now with that out of the way, let me tell you more about Gail Hyatt, this week’s One Monticello Life.
Mrs. Gail was born and raised in the Monticello area, and graduated from Monticello High School. She then added a year of college, also here in Monticello.
She had worked at Arvin for 7 years, until the plant closed down, and was then hired as Monticello’s first female dispatcher, by Chief Otis Allen, back when dispatchers also worked as jailers. That was 24 years ago.
She is now Lieutenant over the communications unit of the police dept.
In November, she will celebrate her 20th anniversary being married to former Drew County Sheriff David Taylor Hyatt. They got married the year that he retired from being Sheriff.
Gail’s hobbies include shopping, cooking, and listening to audio-books.
They have 2 dogs, one is half lab and half Great Dane; the other is half Pyrenees.
Gail’s favorites include:
Restaurant-Q & Y, Ameca, and Young’s Country Cooking
TV shows-C.S.I. (all of them) and Grey’s Anatomy
Phrase-”no comment” was her reply
Movie-An Affair to Remember, starring Cary Grant
Actor-John Wayne
Music-country
Song or Hymn-Amazing Grace and How Great Thou Art
Author-James Patterson
Lois Sanders, a dispatcher for MPD for 20 years, considers Gail to be, “a great co-worker, and a very good friend.”
Mrs. Gail told MonticelloLive that the best thing about her job is “Being able to help people.” Over the past 24 years there’s no telling how many thousands of Monticello residents have gotten help, soon after Mrs. Gail answered the phone, “Police department”.
Unofficial counts estimate that MPD dispatch answered around 400 calls each day, Friday and Saturday.  Now that’s “serving the public.”
With the bad weather in Monticello over the weekend, and for the many times that they’re there, when very little is happening, except for that one person with a crisis, our thanks go out to all of the dispatchers of the Monticello Police Dept., including Mrs. Gail.
Mrs. Gail, thanks for sharing your One Monticello Life.
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Well we have been friends and co-workers for 20 years.So i do know alot of her secrets but i will keep them to myself to use when needed.But if there ever was a best friend she is very much that.She will be there always if you need her.When there is a death in the family you can bet she will be there bringing a cake to the family.We need a lot more like her but I dont think they could make another Gail.
If Miss Gayle doesn’t know it, It didn’t happen. She is always there to help. We love you Miss Gayle.
There is so much to say about Mrs. Gail. She is the best dispatcher anywhere. I have known her since I was young and have worked with her for 3yrs. She is not your normal boss but more like a friend that teaches you what you need to know and then some. Thank you Mrs. Gail for being the person you are to me and my family.
She is one of a kind (Thank God!!I dont think the world could handle more than 1 Gail Hyatt)But I know Monticello is a better place having her in it.
congrat ms gail!! WE think you do an awesome job!! love ya, lyle and kim
I work part time as a relief dispatcher for Ms. Gail, what an awesome place to work, I don’t feel like I have a boss, I just feel like I work with a bunch of my friends! Hers are footsteps that will never be able to be filled, i have learned alot from her and am so happy that I have such a great boss. Congrats Ms. Gail!
Eleven years ago this month, I called the Monticello Police Department for help. When I heard Gail’s voice, I knew that help would soon be on the way. For the past seven years, I have worked with Gail and have come to realize just how difficult a dispatcher’s job can be. When she answered my call those many years ago, she was sending help to a friend but had to sit and wait for word of the outcome. That happens many times to a dispatcher but they have to put their emotions aside and deal with the crisis. It takes a special person to do this.
I have seen Gail handle several things at once as smoothly as she bakes a cake. And believe me, things have a way of breaking loose all at once.
As Lois said, Gail is also a good friend and a very giving person to all those around her. She has a wonderful sense of humor and a very infectious laugh. I feel blessed to have Gail as my friend and coworker.