Thanking 911 Dispatchers, with Dinner

With melt-in-your-mouth chicken cacciatora and cheesy polenta, Cesar salad, fruit kabobs, some bubbly—non-alcoholic Martinelli's, of course—the night shift of emergency dispatchers at Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 ate well Monday night.

The gourmet dinner was a thank-you as part of 911 Dispatcher Appreciation Week and came courtesy of the Watsonville Police Assistance Fund and several Pajaro Valley businesses.

Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano, Deputy Chief Bob Knill, Lt. David McCartney and Lt. Terry Traub served the meal to dispatchers.

It's a gesture of gratitude, but also a bit of a cook-off competition. The Watsonville police-provided meal was the first in a series of lunches and dinners area police and fire agencies will bring this week. At the end of the week, the emergency dispatchers will declare a cook-off winner.

The Watsonville police representatives, including Police Assistance Fund supporters, were vying for votes Monday night. The chocolate bars enveloped in a yellow smiley-face wrapper and branded with "911 Dispatcher Appreciation Dinner, April 9, 2012" may put WPD over the top.

, Bay City Tow and Valley Feed also helped with the meal.

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