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Co-workers remember Marion Co. dispatcher who did Santa Claus broadcasts

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The voices of the men and women who are control operators in Marion County are there when officers need them most.

“They are a life link to an officer on the street,” said Major Michael Hubbs of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

But there is one voice that is missing.

“Andy was, it’s hard to say, Andy was Andy. Andy was very unique. He was a pillar to the 911 center. There wasn’t a shift that a co-worker didn’t go by with a chuckle about Andy. He put a smile on a lot of faces,he was cantankerous and he was in our industry of dispatching, he was an old school dispatcher,” said Hubbs.

A dispatcher for 25 years, a Meridian Hills police officer for 40, Andy Jacobs was known for being habitually early.

“He would come in here and eat his dinner before he would go in, because this was his second home,” said Hubbs.

He was also known for the way his voice came over the radio.

“Officers would say, ‘Whose that guy who works out on southeast district?’” said Carolea Walters, who works in the Marion County 911 center, “He was known for his approach and his voice and the way he handled himself on air.”

During major events and especially on Christmas Eve.

“Andy was very famous voice of the sheriff’s office for talking about Santa Claus on the radio and he would embellish it,” said Hubbs.

“The vehicle is described as a red vehicle piloted by an obese male with a large white beard, red suit, and white fur trim,” he said in one of the dispatches this Christmas Eve.

“I would say this year he did it probably better than any other year,” said Hubbs.

“He shined in that night,” said Walters.

Co-workers took a photo with Jacobs that night, with him sitting in the middle and two co-workers holding signed pictures of him in a Santa hat. Not knowing it would be their last shift together. The man who was habitually early for work, didn’t show up Christmas Day.

“His direct supervisors here called me, they notified me on the phone,” said Hubbs, “I’ve worked in law enforcement for 20 years and any law enforcement officer knows when you get call at home on Christmas night at ten o’clock at night, it’s not a good call. And I knew that call wasn’t going to be good, I knew there was a problem, that someone had died most likely. She was very upset and said ‘Andy hasn’t showed up for work,’ so we immediately sent officers to his house and he had died,” said Hubbs.

A heart attack.

“It was a punch in the gut,” said Jacobs’ co-worker Joseph Nigrelli.

“I’m sad, but on the other side, I think it probably worked out for the best, it’s probably the best. I don’t know how he could have retired and been happy,” said Walters.

A voice, a man, who dedicated his life to public safety missing from this room.

“He left a part in my heart that will always be with me until I pass away. I’m sure the roughly 150 dispatchers in here can say the same,” said Hubbs.