Rhonda Fulton is ready to take it easy.
The 62-year-old Iola native has retired from the Iola Police Department after 37 eventful years of service.
As the announcement was made on April Fools’ Day it was necessary to receive confirmation; however, Fulton said, “No, I’m not faking you out.”
She began working for the Iola Police Department as a dispatcher in 1982.
Fulton continued to work in dispatch until January 1995, when she gave birth to twin sons, Aaron and Ethan, who are now 29 years old.
Yet life was pretty complicated, even before they arrived.
“My husband had started his welding career,” Fulton explained, “and he was going out on the road to weld, and I was working nights.”
Despite the challenges of being a young mother, Fulton decided to return to work in the police department in December 1995.
Hence, “I’ve actually worked here twice,” she said.
And she’s held the course since that time, though in a few different roles.
“When I came back in December ’95, we were doing 911,” Fulton said, when the dispatch center was still located in Iola City Hall.
She then dispatched and supervised dispatchers for almost 15 straight years, and collected all manner of wild stories.
As Fulton explained, though, “you always say you should write ’em down, but you never do.”
In 2010, when the dispatch center relocated to North State Street, she had the option to remain at IPD as Records Administrative Assistant, and seized the opportunity.
What does a Records Administrative Assistant do exactly?
“All the fun things,” Fulton smiled.
