The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office has announced that long-serving emergency dispatcher Sandi Ibarra will retire this month after 25 years of service to the county. Ibarra began her career as a dispatcher for La Salle in 1997, when the office was located in the county jail, and oversaw a transition from analog to digital communications in law enforcement and emergency dispatch, as well as numerous other technological upgrades, staff development, and enhancements in the office’s capabilities. Now ranked as dispatch supervisor, Ibarra also oversaw the office’s move from the jail to the Larry Griffin Emergency Operations Center on Mars Drive in the Las Palmas business park three years ago, as well as stronger and more effective communications between cooperating agencies, including the Texas Highway Patrol and the US Border Patrol. The sheriff’s office issued a statement on Ibarra’s retirement this week, indicating all of its staff thank her for her “many years of dedicated service and professionalism that she brought to the job.” Sheriff Zertuche and administrators said they are “sad to lose a valuable asset to the department but confident that Sandi leaves a well-trained crew who continue to display the solid work ethic and practices that she demonstrated throughout.” (Courtesy photo)
