Those who keep us safe – Hunter Ivey

Hunter Ivey was the dispatcher on duty Saturday night when four major incidents stretched city and county law enforcement to its limits.

A team of officers raced down Highway 61 just before 10 p.m. Saturday night in search of a woman who was being chased by two men. The miscreants were in the median, on the road and on the side of the road according to numerous calls to the 911 call center. Ivey dispatched several units who had already been busy for the prior two hours dealing with domestic calls and several small accidents. Three of the units were at a domestic on Court Street where a 51-year-old man was tased after telling law enforcement “You’ll have to kill me.” One of those units had just left a verbal altercation on Halls Ferry near Military Street.

As law enforcement was stretched thin Ivey was able to prioritize who needed to be where for the safety of the citizens and officers involved. Seldom will a single officer respond to a domestic violence call or an alarm call.

As more units began to arrive on Court Street, multiple calls began coming in reporting a woman being chased by two men on 61 South. Two of the units from Court raced to the area near Dana Road. While they were on the way Ivey (and the amazing team at 911) were steadily taking calls including one that updated the hurried units that those on 61 South had run up the hill by Crossway Church. Just as the first unit arrived Ivey reported to the officers on the scene that a call had just come in saying they heard shots fired right next to the church. Officers at that scene had to now worry about a possible gunman there in addition to the woman who was being chased.

While officers were searching that area the tones sounded alerting medic and fire units they would be needed. An accident happened on I-20 West just before the exit to 61 North. Three motorcycles had collided and three riders were down. Ivey dispatched police to the accident on the highway. As those units along with fire, rescue and medics were en route, A-4, Troy Kimble, called in an incident behind Boston Fish Market on Clay Street. One unit responded from the police department that they were on their way and Ivey tried to rally another unit to assist in the incident called in by Kimble. A Green Tahoe was trying to run over individuals and struck other vehicles. At first, it appeared several people were hit and the request was called in to send two ambulances to the Clay Street melee. Ivey managed it all.

Within a few minutes of that, a caller reported their house had been shot multiple times but no one was injured.

The 911 Call Center in August of 2020. (Photo by David Day)

Four major calls within a few minutes with Ivey directing units to each. “We’ve had big incidents but I can’t recall four major calls like that in such a short amount of time,” said Ivey. “When it was over we all (dispatchers) looked at the clock and realized not even 30 minutes had passed.”

“I love this kind of stuff,” Ivey said plainly. “Don’t get me wrong, I love being out in the field running calls too. But being in here, behind the scenes, getting everybody where they need to go, I love it — getting an adrenaline rush. It’s like being there with them.”

Ivey grew up in Vicksburg and Port Gibson where he was home-schooled and spent his free time hunting and fishing. In his teens, he joined the Warren County Firefighters and is currently a part of the team at the Culkin Fire Station. In December of 2019, the 22-year-old joined the 911 Call Center. Ivy, in what little spare time he has left after working dispatch and firefighting, Ivey also works a part-time job refilling fire extinguishers.

Hunter Ivey, keeping us safe.

Hunter Ivey just after putting out a fire, chatting with Zac Hearn and another firefighter. (Photo by David Day)