It’s not every day you get to meet or work with your heroes but for one Arkansas State Police dispatcher, she says she is doing just that.
by Tylisa Hampton
Jan 24, 2025
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – It’s not every day you get to meet or work with your heroes but for one Arkansas State Police dispatcher, she says she is doing just that.
Natalie Whiteside works in Troop I as a dispatcher for ASP and said her journey in law enforcement started with her family’s experience with one trooper that changed her life.
“If it wasn’t for his kindness then me and my mom probably wouldn’t be alive,” Whiteside said.
In 2002, Whiteside’s parents were rushing to the hospital in Little Rock around two hours away from their home because her mother, who was pregnant with her at the time, became due unexpectedly.
“I was three months premature,” Whiteside said. “My dad, he is flying through town, and he flagged down a state trooper, a very young and new state trooper and his name is Matthew Sheley.”
After explaining to the Sgt. Sheley what was happening, he then escorted them to Little Rock.
“The trooper said get behind him and he took him all the way past the county line,” she said.
After they were taken to the hospital Whiteside was born and placed in the NICU for three months.
That story inspired Whiteside to get into law enforcement. Now, 21 years later, she works in the same unit as Sgt. Sheley.
“He is the sweetest guy ever. I always refer to him as the godfather because he has made a huge impact in everyone’s lives around me,” Whiteside said.
She said she hopes in her role she can pay back the kindness that was once given to her family.
“Just one little thing can just make a big impact for the good in people’s lives,” Whiteside said.
