Murphree: 911 supervisor makes a difference

Meet Michelle Pena, the Communications Manager for the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Michelle started in our Communications Unit on Halloween in 1996 as a Communications Officer. In 2008 she was promoted to Communications Manager, where she currently leads 47 employees.

Michelle holds a Master Telecommunicator License and is a graduate of the 2007 National Academy of Emergency Dispatch Communications Center Manager Course.  Michelle is married to DCSO Patrol Captain, Jose Pena who has served Denton County for 29 years.

The Denton County Sheriff’s Office Communications Unit receives, processes and prioritizes 9-1-1 emergency and non-emergency calls for 22 police departments, 12 fire and medical departments, 13 various state and local agencies and all of unincorporated Denton County. This Unit handles a substantial amount of calls. In 2021 our Communications Officers answered 96,741 emergency 911 calls, 213,051 non-emergency calls and officers responded to 110,412 public requests.

Michelle Pena received approval and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office Communications Unit underwent a complete remodel in April 2019 that added 500 square feet to our operating floor. The center went from 8 to 12 dispatch consoles to better serve the citizens of Denton County and surrounding areas. It was a much-needed upgrade from cabling, flooring and furniture to updating technology.

The new technology equipped them with Next Gen 911 capabilities to give the most accurate locations of the callers. We also implemented Rapid SOS software which is used for an active 911 call and gives real-time locations and updates. Michelle is actively working to replace our computer-aided dispatch software to the latest cloud-based technology.

“The Communications Officers I work with are the most dedicated, highly trained and hardworking staff I could ask for. They amaze me daily with their resourcefulness and resiliency to meet the demands of a very difficult job,” Michelle said. “They serve their community in ways that most people will never know, making huge impacts on the lives of people they will never meet.”

We are currently hiring several positions including Communications Officer, Detention Officer and Patrol Deputy! If you are interested in a career in Law Enforcement, join Denton County Sheriff’s Office and be a part of a great organization. Visit our website to apply: www.governmentjobs.com/careers/dentoncounty/sheriff