MADISON, Wis. -- Dane County's 911 Center has been under the public microscope after dispatchers allegedly mishandled emergency calls in connection with two different violent deaths. When the new 911 director takes over next month, he'll have his work cut out for him.

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Still, many in Minneapolis said John Dejung is the man to take it on.

The Stanley, Wis., native has been running the 911/311 center in Minneapolis. Some colleagues there said he's an innovative leader who has chalked up plenty of experience in his dozen years there. He'll start his new job on June 1.

Tucked away in the skyscrapers of downtown Minneapolis is a mammoth granite City Hall. In the bowels of the historic building, in what used to be the city's old fire house and horse stable, dozens of workers are busy dispensing public safety.

A large, remodeled brightly lit room contains the Minneapolis Emergency Communications Center, or MECC, otherwise known as 911. One floor above it sits the man who's been running it for 12 years: John Dejung.

He said that he puts in a lot of effort

"I like to work hard and play hard, you know. It's not uncommon for me to put in a 12-hour day once in awhile. In fact, probably more than I should," said Dejung.

But those who work with this former 18-year Coast Guard officer said Dejung's dedication has paid off for his department and others.

Robert Allen, the deputy chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, said Dejung will be missed.

"I'm very sad to hear he's leaving. He's a been a remarkable asset to the city and driven a lot of innovative programs or communications in the city. And most of all, he was always willing to try something new," Allen said.

Allen said Dejung has done nothing short of a "phenomenal job," installing a modern computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system that dramatically improved response times and helps enhance community policing and crime prevention.

"John's leadership allowed us to really sort of reassure the community that we take 911 seriously," he said.

Assistant Fire Chief Cherie Penne said would award Dejung's record as all "As." She called him an innovative collaborator who used technology to improve 911 for all of its partners.

"He always looked for those areas where he could improve and that's where he implemented that -- as far as (the fire department) goes -- what can I give (firefighters) to get you out the door quicker," she said.

All of the improvements were tested in an unprecedented way on Aug. 1, 2007, when an entire interstate bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during rush hour.

Dejung said he was home sick when he got the news.

"My (first) words were, 'Oh no!' My first thought was that it was potentially a terrorist strike," he said.

While the Interstate 35W Bridge collapse wasn't, the result was the same at the dispatch center at City Hall. Hundreds of emergency calls came pouring in -- over 500 in the first two hours, which is triple the normal load.

Robin Carter, a 911 dispatcher, said it was "nothing I've ever seen before, ever in my life. It was crazy."

Fifty-one calls were from people on the collapsed bridge. Carter was one of 13 dispatchers on duty when the disaster first broke.

"I looked over to the side of the phone and every single line was lit up," she said.

Despite the enormity of the situation, public safety officials said the rescue effort went well, thanks to Dejung's 911 center.

"His dispatch center coordinated as close to a flawless response as there can be in a situation like that," Allen said.

A non-emergency 311 call center that Dejung helped create held down the chaos of the bridge collapse by stripping away non-emergency phone calls. But, safety officials said technical upgrades Dejung made to the 911 were even more key to helping them execute a rescue effort.

Among them was a state-of-the-art radio system that processed over a 100,000 transmissions and let emergency responder/crews from different agencies talk to each other.

"We knew that when we implemented the 800-megahertz system early in the decade that that was the promise, and sure enough, it delivered," Dejung said.

Dejung said he says good-bye to co-workers and family for now (his youngest child is staying behind to finish high school with his wife). Dejung said he's anxious to put his experience to work for Dane County.

"What makes me excited about what I'm getting myself into down there is the fact that a lot of improvements that are to be undertaken down there are things I've done here," he said.

Penn said Dejung's departure is a blow.

"I think (Dane County 911) is very fortunate to get him. It certainly is Minneapolis' loss," she said.

Dejung's 911 center was named Outstanding Call Center for 2008 by a Washington, D.C., 911 Institute for its bridge collapse work.

Dejung, who got his master's in Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will make $120,000 a year when he starts his new job in Dane County.