After 13 Years, "Momma Wood" to Leave SPD Dispatch Desk

Sandy Wood never expected to find her calling at a dispatch desk in the small town of Saline. But that’s exactly what happened.

Wednesday, from noon to 2 p.m. in the City Hall chambers, friends and colleagues will send off Wood, who is retiring after 13 years as dispatcher with the Saline Police Department.

Dispatching for the SPD was an unexpected and meaningful third act in Wood’s career. She’d worked answering phones and running liens for the Ann Arbor Police Department in the 1970s. Then she co-owned a cleaning business for 20 years, until the physical demands proved too great.  In 2002, with former Ann Arbor Police Department associates Paul Bunten and Jack Ceo at the helm of the SPD, Wood decided she wanted to return to public service. There was an opening in Saline for a dispatcher.

“I knew Paul and Jack, but I hadn’t done this work in 20 years. There were younger applicants and I didn’t know how to use a computer,” Wood said. “I didn’t think I’d have a chance.”

But she landed the job.

It challenged her in many ways.

“In Ann Arbor, we worked in the basement. We answered the calls and ran liens,” Wood said.

In Saline, dispatchers are the front line of the department. They are the people you meet at the front desk. They are the people who answer when you call. Wood was a little apprehensive about this part of the job.

“I didn’t think I’d like that, but I really do enjoy it,” Wood said.

She understands the importance of being friendly and re-assuring.

“When someone comes in the front door, you are the face of the department. Your contact with me should be favorable, because you might base your opinion of the department on our contact,” she said.

Over the years, she’s made many friends. Some elderly gentlemen who’ve lost their wives visit Wood at the SPD.

“I’ve been tearful with them. That’s just part of me,” Wood said, noting that wasn’t always the case. “I didn’t think that was me, but I’ve learned that about myself. You need compassion to work at that desk.”

Not only for the people who visit, but for the people who are on the other end of an emergency call, or for the police officer having a trying day.

Two officers she’s worked the most with are Dave Ringe and Mike Snook. She said they’ve formed a special connection.

“I am an extension of them. I take care of them. I know their character. I can tell by their voice on the radio if they are having a tough call or a bad day and I try to make it better for them,” Wood said. “I make sure, on those days, they come in and see me for a bit so they’re in the right place.”

The officers appreciate her care – both for them and the people on the phone. They call her “Momma Wood,” Ringe said.

“She’s so reliable and knowledgeable. She supports out there for our safety and security,” Ringe said.

Her friendly demeanor is just as important for residents experiencing an emergency.

“If you get a 911 call, people on the other line are very excited. Sandy is the type of person who can calm you down and keep things under control,” Ringe said.

Some of Wood’s favorite people in Saline work next door at the Saline Area Fire Department. Firefighters sometimes bring her breakfast or invite her for lunch. She’s an annual volunteer for the SAFD Toys for Tots Campaign. She also helps out at the Firehouse Chicken dinner every August.

“They are a great group and I have a lot of respect for Chief Hoeft,” Wood said.

The respect is mutual.

“She heard about our Toys for Tots campaign and has been helping us ever since. She likes helping people out. She’s just one of those types of people,” SAFD Chief Craig Hoeft said. “She’s become part of the family here.”

Though Wood lives in Ann Arbor, she’s a part of the Saline community.

“It’s a wonderful little town. People here are great,” she said.

Wood has been married to her husband, John, for 37 years. They have four adult children and four grandchildren. She’s leaving the SPD after a year of working Saturdays because she wants to spend weekends with family.

It wasn’t an easy decision, because she loves her job. She’s still grateful that former Chief Paul Bunten believed in her and gave her the job.

“It was my calling to be here,” Wood said.

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