STAFF REPORT
Glasgow News 1
Leadership at the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center is set to change as longtime director Beverly Harbison prepares to retire. She will retire on July 10 after serving 20 years as director of the regional 911 center, according to a press release from the City of Glasgow.
Assistant Director April Dunbar has been selected to succeed Harbison as director of the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center. Her appointment is effective July 10, 2026.
Harbison began her dispatch career in 1985 as a dispatcher for the Glasgow Police and Fire Department. She joined the newly formed Barren-Metcalfe 911 Center in 1994, later becoming director and helping guide the agency through years of growth and change.
In her role as director, Harbison is credited with establishing a uniform hiring process for the center. She also encouraged 911 communicators to maintain their professional certifications and pursue continuing education to better serve callers in emergencies.
Beverly Harbison
Dunbar has spent more than 25 years serving the citizens of Barren and Metcalfe counties through emergency communications. She began her career as a 911 telecommunicator in 2000 and advanced steadily through the organization.
In 2014, Dunbar was promoted to the first-ever Shift Supervisor position at the center, taking on direct leadership responsibilities for front-line operations. She was later promoted to Assistant Director in 2020, where she played an instrumental role in advancing operations, training, technology and regional collaboration.
Dunbar is a graduate of Glasgow High School and a resident of Temple Hill, adding local roots to her leadership role.
She has pursued professional development throughout her career, earning her Emergency Number Professional certification in October 2018. She followed that with the Certified Manager of Public Safety Communications certification in May 2019, credentials that reflect her expertise in the field.
Beyond her work at the Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center, Dunbar has taken on leadership roles in statewide emergency communications organizations. She serves with the Kentucky Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association, where she currently serves as president. She has also been actively involved with the Kentucky Emergency Services Conference and the Kentucky Telecommunicator Emergency Response Taskforce.
Key Facts
– Barren-Metcalfe Emergency Communications Center Director Beverly Harbison will retire on July 10 after 20 years in the position.
– Harbison began her dispatch career in 1985 with the Glasgow Police and Fire Department and joined the Barren-Metcalfe 911 Center in 1994.
– Assistant Director April Dunbar, a 25-year veteran of local emergency communications, has been appointed the next director effective July 10, 2026.
– Dunbar began as a 911 telecommunicator in 2000 and advanced through roles including Shift Supervisor and Assistant Director.
– Dunbar holds Emergency Number Professional and Certified Manager of Public Safety Communications certifications.
– She serves as president of the Kentucky Chapter of the National Emergency Number Association and is active in statewide emergency services groups.
