Horsham Recognizes Retiring Police Dispatcher

During emergencies, police dispatchers are generally either calm - as in a dog urinated on a homeowner's lawn - or adrenalized for major emergencies. 

But, not when Horsham Township Police dispatcher Joseph Lutz was on duty.

"It was all the same," Horsham Township Police Chief Robert Ruxton said during Wednesday night's Horsham Township Council meeting while honoring Lutz for his eight years of service. "Joe kept everything calm, kept everybody on the street even keeled."

The former Hatboro Borough Councilman and long-time Enterprise Fire Company member retires this week from his dispatching post. 

As Ruxton jokingly shared that without Lutz, he will now be the oldest on the rolls, Lutz, rising from his seat in the audience, wiped away tears. 

"Young man, you will be missed," Ruxton said. 

Horsham Township Manager Bill Walker echoed those sentiments. 

"Joe is an exceptional employee," Walker said, adding that he was "amazed" that Lutz was always about to keep calm. "He was always courteous. I’ve never heard him speak in a bad tone to anyone."

But, Lutz, while sharing highlights throughout his career, said that his ability to stay "cool, calm and collected," was "more dumb luck than skill."