News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cumberland County E-911 Dispatch Director, Rodney Shoap, will step down from his position at the end of this month.
Shoap said he enjoyed his short tenure as the director and looks forward to what the future holds.
“I started here back in December of last year and my assignment really was to come in and do an assessment of what we had in the way of equipment and people, just resources in general,” Shoap said. “We really have set a direction for the future. Something that we can look at one year out, three years out, and five years out.”
Shoap said he and the rest of the communication center staff are preparing for his exit after he submitted his resignation at the end of August.
“We’re really preparing everything that we’ve done so far so that a new director can come in, sit down, see where we’ve been, where I recommend them going,” Shoap said, “but of course, the new director may look at that differently… and that’s their prerogative. I need to have everything ready for them so I can be a good partner for them. That way, when they want to go that direction or change directions, everything will be right there in front of them to do it.”
Shoap, 64, said he is starting to think about retirement but isn’t ready to call it a career just yet. He said he is considering getting back into the law enforcement field in some way. Shoap served as the Lee County Sheriff in Florida for 26 years.
“I’ll always be available. In fact, a couple of organizations have already asked me to do some training for them, one in November and one in April,” Shoap said. “Nonetheless, they’re still in this public service arena, and whether I retire or don’t, I’ll always be here to help.”
Shoap said he will not be involved in the process of hiring a new communication director. Shoap adds he is unsure whether he and his wife will remain in the area, but said Cumberland County is one of their favorite places they’ve lived in.
