Rockwall honors dispatchers and officer for lifesaving response

The City of Rockwall singled out two dispatch employees and one police officer for work that can determine how fast help reaches a scene. Telecommunications Supervisor Rachel Zasik and Telecommunications Operator Peyton Garrett received a Certificate of Merit Award, while Officer Dylan Sarna received a Life Saving Award for actions tied to an injured victim.

The recognition matters because the Rockwall Police Department Communications Center describes its specialists as available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to answer 9-1-1 emergency calls and non-emergency public-safety calls. The center serves both Rockwall and Heath, putting dispatchers at the first point of contact when residents need police help, medical help or another urgent response.

A May 9, 2026 post from the Rockwall Police Department also identified Zasik as Supervisor of the Year, adding another layer to the city’s public-safety recognition this summer. The department congratulated Zasik, Garrett and Sarna separately, linking the awards to quick thinking, decisive action and professionalism under pressure.

Those qualities match the department’s own hiring standards. Its careers page says it looks for applicants with integrity and professionalism who can multitask, make sound decisions during stressful situations and work well in a team environment. In practical terms, that is the skill set required when one dispatcher is tracking multiple incidents at once, fielding calls from both emergency and non-emergency lines, and coordinating with officers who may already be on scene.

For Rockwall residents, the awards are a reminder that the emergency system is built on more than patrol cars and sirens. Zasik and Garrett work in the communications chain that starts the response, while Sarna’s recognition points to the officer side of the equation, where seconds can change an outcome for an injured victim.

The July 2026 City Newsletter, posted as a PDF on the city website, used the honors to put a public face on that work. In a fast-growing city with steady demand on police services, the awards highlight the pressure on dispatch staffing, the need for reliable response, and the small number of moments in which calm decision-making can make all the difference.