BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"I been there like 22 years so...something counts."
Lisa Willes is a well-known woman in the town of Jeanerette.
"If we at a grocery store," said Wiles' granddaughter, Tangjermeka, "'Ms. Lisa I need to talk to you about this, Ms. Lisa I need your help with this.'"
So much so, that her daughter Shelley, and granddaughter Tangjermeka, say it's hard to get her alone.
"We don't wanna share...but we do," joked Wiles' daughter, Shelley.
The veteran dispatcher has worked under eight police chiefs, and four mayors.
"The dispatcher is the heart," explained Wiles. So when the dispatcher gets a call they getting all the information, to send the officer."
After more than two decades at the station, Wiles says she takes serving her community very seriously.
"I love it; I love it, I love listening to people's problems. If I can help, imma try to help imma try to get you as far as you can to where you need to be."
According to Wiles, one area she's always had a soft-spot for is helping the elderly.
"When you hear they stories, cause they have stories, a lot of them, they elderly but they live alone. So they scared, they basically scared of everything...and it just touches me."
Jeanerette resident Paula Clavelle said, "Oh she, like, bring me different places and stuff like that. She's just a lovely person."
Clavelle loves when Wiles brings her to diners, sharing a meal and great conversation.
"She'll say all kinda like different things to make you smile. And if you're down, she gonna lift you up. A sweet person, in and out."
Wiles' desire to go above and beyond has earned her the Iberia Crime Stoppers MVP Award for the Jeanerette Police Department.
"I'm proud, I'm glad...Cause I mean sometimes you just, you be there for a long time and you're just thinking 'Hmm,' nobody's thinking about ya, you don't know if you're appreciated or...But I know that I'm appreciated. Because I know by the contact of the people, and if anybody call they gonna ask for Lisa."
The Iberia Crime Stoppers MVP Awards & First Responder Honors Banquet takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 10 at 5:30 p.m., at the Sliman Auditorium in New Iberia.
