Echo is another important resource for mental health and wellness brought in by Blackmon for a call center team that took over 172,000 calls for service that came through the 911 line in 2024, and is on pace for just as many in 2025.
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office has a new member of the communications team. She will basically live in the center and bring support to the rest of the department.
She’s finishing her own training to do her part among fellow dispatchers: to help those who take calls alleviate the stress that comes with being a first line of defense for residents who may be in the worst hour of their lives themselves.
Meet 10-week-old Echo, a hypoallergenic Lagotto Romagnolo puppy, the department’s newest K-9 member.
“She’ll be trained to respond to our telecommunicators experiencing stress,” Sheriff Chris Blackmon said. “We had a dog like this at FHP (where he worked for a couple decades prior), and I love animals, so doing this was a no-brainer.”
Echo is another important resource for mental health and wellness brought in by Blackmon for a call center team that took over 172,000 calls for service that came through the 911 line in 2024, and is on pace for just as many in 2025 (115,586 through September). The call center currently has 15 openings for 911 dispatchers, the department said.
She was named through an online poll The name was chosen after being narrowed down to Connie, Roberta or Echo, which is also the ‘E’ word in the phonetic alphabet. And she’s already making friends among the telecommunicators who work in the call center, who say they are excited to have a new co-worker, and friend.
“Her job will be to offer support and comfort … and to be absolutely adorable,” said Sheriff’s spokesperson Kim Montes, who couldn’t help to be a bit “Aww”-struck around the little ball of energy when she was introduced to the public this week. “Imagine how much attention she’s gonna get, 24 hours a day, just roaming around the cell center once she finishes her training.”
