5 Questions: Carlisle police officer named finalist in Dish Network’s First Responder of the Year Award

The Carlisle police officer became aware that she was in the running for Dish Network’s First Responder or Healthcare Worker of the Year Award came through an email.

After being nominated by her coworker, Amy Burrell, who works as a dispatcher with the Carlisle Borough Police Department, DiMartile was selected as one of five national finalists. The award recognizes people who serve small towns across the country.

DiMartile was the only law enforcement officer to be selected as a finalist. The others are firefighter Blake “Peewee” Henson from Texas, firefighter Dawn Pedersen from California, health care worker Tamara Olt from Illinois and firefighter Tim Belcher from Kentucky.

The winner will receive a Dish home theater and smart home prize package along with a trip to Nashville, Tennessee, with tickets to the Grand Old Opry, a $100 gift card to Ole Red restaurant and recognition on Coffee, Country and Cody and Opry live shows.

Voting to determine the winner of the award will take place through April 30 with the winner to be announced May 1. Anyone who wishes to vote may do so online at dishhometownheroes.com.

The Sentinel spoke with DiMartile, who has served with the Carlisle Police Department since 2018, about her career and what the Dish nomination means to her:

Q1: How did you hear about this award and what went through your head when you learned you’ve been selected as a finalist?

A: I only heard about this award after I was nominated and accepted the nomination. After accepting, I thought for sure there are many others throughout the nation who have done more than I, so I was very surprised and humbled knowing that I was selected as one [of] five finalists for this award.

Q2: Which local events and organizations are you involved with and why did you choose to serve the community in those ways?

A: I am involved in the Bigs in Blue program with Big Brother Big Sister and all other things are through the police department. When I started here, there was a Christmas program in place, and we helped approximately 50 kids each year. I saw the need for help with the program and thought of ways to get the community involved to give back to kids in our shelters and various assistance programs. I’ve also helped donate hygiene items to victims of human trafficking and school supplies to events that occur in town prior to school starting.

Q3: What do you enjoy most about being a police officer in Carlisle specifically?

A: The diversity and uniqueness of the town. I’ve never seen a community come together the way Carlisle does. From the donations of milk and food I see hanging at local parks on Sunday mornings, the food pantry’s handing out food, employment skills helping those who need a job get assistance with that and so on. The day-to-day calls are broken up by the various events we host in town. From car shows to parades and festivals, Carlisle is always bustling and a great place to visit.

Q4: What is the most challenging aspect of your job and what inspires you to keep doing what you do?

A: The most challenging aspect of the job is obtaining legitimate help for mental health patients. With the threat of losing even more funding for our mental health system, it is only going to increase the number of people who need help that just isn’t there. I try to fight for the people I interact with. If I have to make an arrest, I try to see what I can do to help that person, if they are willing to accept that. Through the courts, we can obtain the mental health/drug and alcohol treatment they may need, but it would be a better thing to get people the help they need before it comes to court ordered help. Treatment through incarceration just clogs the criminal justice system even more.

Q5: As someone who is dedicated to serving the community, what does it mean to you to receive this recognition?

A: It’s truly an honor to receive this recognition. After hearing about it, I was blown away that I was the only law enforcement officer in the nation to become a finalist. There are cops out there every day doing wonderful things in their community, and to know that someone puts me in the same category as them is inspiring. The anti-police rhetoric can beat you down and make you question why you chose this profession, but as my friend Lt. Stephen Williams stated prior to being killed in the line of duty in 2020, “and finally, when this job (and humanity) has you questioning why you are even doing this, think back to why you started doing it. The reason is the same. You cannot save the world. But what you can do is help one person at a time. That is all you must do. Do that, and yours is a life lived well.” So that’s what I will do. Continue to help people. It’s why I chose this job, this profession, and Carlisle has truly given me the platform to do just that.