Communications Proclamation Awards:  The stories of 911 heroes

 by Ryan Dedmon

On December 10th, 2009, the Communications Bureau recently presented another Proclamation Award to a young lady for the extraordinary job she did talking to a dispatcher during a 9-1-1 emergency call.  We proudly recognize Miss Jacqueline Becker (11yrs).  Here is her story.....

On November 12th, 2009, Jacqueline and her father were walking home together.  As they approached their apartment complex, they were confronted by 3 "gang-looking" subjects who were acting suspicious near some parked cars on the street.  When Jacqueline and her father passed by, one of the subjects started yelling at Jacqueline's father without provocation to intimidate them.  Jacqueline and her father tried to ignore the subject, but he continued with his harassment. 

The subject followed Jacqueline and her father to their apartment.  As they entered their apartment, the subject pushed Jacqueline's father to the ground and tried to force his way inside the apartment.  Somehow, her father managed to call 911 as the assault began.  Communications Supervisor Lee Ann Cameron answered the phone and quickly entered a call for dispatch when she heard the commotion in the background.  Jacqueline's father briefly described the problem but then had to leave the phone to thwart off further attack from the subject.  

Jacqueline picked up the phone and took over the call.  She gave a detailed description of the subject.  She started crying as she watched the subject hit her father over the head with a glass bottle, a ceramic pot, and a metal plant stand.  The subject then produced a pocket-knife.  He moved towards Jacqueline's father attempting to stab him, but the subject's conspirators alerted him that police officers were arriving outside so the subject had time to flee. 

Police officers at the scene arrested the subject's 2 conspiring friends.  The assaulting subject was later identified and arrested for felony assault.  Their prosecution is pending.  Jacqueline's father sustained minor injuries, but has made a full recovery since the incident. 

Jacqueline Becker joins an elite group of other children who have received Proclamation Awards from the Communications Bureau.  We proudly honor her with a small token of appreciation for demonstrating maturity far beyond her years.  Anaheim Police Communications looks forward to recognizing many more ordinary children who do extraordinary things.