County says goodbye to longtime dispatch manager

By Brandi Makuski

Eleven thousand days.

That’s roughly how much time Denise Nash has spent with the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office. She spent the last decade managing the communications center, often referred to simply as “dispatch” or “comm center.” Now, she’s stepping down to enjoy retirement.

Nash was honored on Aug. 16 by the local emergency services community, and others, during a two-hour gathering at the Law Enforcement Center, allowing for most county employees, area law enforcement, and fire/EMS officers and chiefs to stop by at some point to say goodbye.

Nash began her public safety career in 1991 as a dispatcher/jailor/control room specialist and became a dispatch supervisor in 2009. She was promoted to communication center manager in 2013.

Sheriff Mike Lukas — the sixth under whom Nash has worked — said Nash had marshaled the resources of hundreds of dispatchers, deputies, police officers, firefighters, and medics in her time, guiding the county’s emergency services through countless fires, natural disasters, hostage situations, medical emergencies, and more with a cool head and calm demeanor.

“She’s been instrumental in bringing Enhanced 911 to Portage Co., and so many other things that had a positive impact on the sheriff’s office and the emergency services community; we are sure going to miss her,” Lukas said.

Nash, who comes from a law enforcement family, became the county’s first female Special Response Team Negotiator in 1993 and became a Special Response Team Leader from 2007-2015. She also served as National Crisis Negotiators Council President from 2012-2022.

When Nash started her career, dispatchers doubled as corrections officers, because the comm center was in the jail.

“We had one computer; it was on a lazy Susan that went back and forth,” she said. “Even our first paging system, to page the fire department, was picking up the phone and going over everybody’s loudspeaker. It’s a little different now.”

Though typically stoic, Nash’s voice cracked slightly with emotion as she thanked her coworkers, some of whom started their own careers with her.

“This job has been my life; I’ve always said I have the best job ever. Where else can I tell cops where to go? I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Nash said she plans to spend her retirement spending time with family and traveling.