E-911 Director Michael Gaul still can’t believe he had to fire LaShaunta Bright, a 24-year-old he called one of his “best employees.” The former supervisor at the E-911 dispatch center is accused of aiding a fugitive.

“I never would have expected anything like this from her,” Gaul said.

Bright was arrested and charged last Thursday with assisting Alonzo McRunnels, 28, an Edwards man wanted on a drug warrant in Vicksburg.

Gaul said Bright had worked at the center since December 2004, but was fired immediately after being charged. “It’s very surprising,” he said. “She came from a good family. She was going to college. I can’t believe this happened.”

Brightwas arrested at her 1208 Crawford St. home about 5:45 a.m. July 3 and charged with hindering prosecution and rendering criminal assistance. Both fall under the state’s obstruction of justice statute. She is accused of telling McRunnels that authorities were headed his way.

The two are believed to be acquaintances who formerly dated, authorities said.

“Pulling something like this endangers the lives of our community’s officers,” said Vicksburg Fire Chief Keith Rogers, chairman of the E-911 Commission. “It’s a shame this happened.”

Investigators with the Vicksburg Police Department and Warren County Sheriff’s Department, working on information gathered during their attempt to serve the warrant, had gone to a home at 15924 Mississippi 465 about 4 a.m. in search of McRunnels, but did not find him. They returned later and discovered him hiding under a pile of laundry.

McRunnels, whose charge of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute date to June 17, remains in the Warren County Jail on a $25,000 bond.

Bright’s bond was set at $5,000, which she posted the same day she was arrested, and she was released from the jail.

Gaul has been E-911’s director since January and has worked there since 2005. “I don’t know what kind of background checks were done when she was hired because I wasn’t here at the time,” he said. “But knowing her, I’m sure she had a clean record when they hired her.”

Gaul said that since he’s taken over as director, he and his administration have gone above the state’s background requirements, which include checking an applicant’s educational and employment background and criminal history.

“But we even do credit checks and check with local authorities everywhere that person has lived to look for minor offenses,” he said.

Gaul and Rogers said there have been no changes in hiring procedures or policy at the dispatch center since Bright’s arrest. Neither of could recall other similar violations at the dispatch center, nor did they suspect Bright of other violations while on the job.

“But while nothing like this has happened before, it shows you how vulnerable we are and how crucial it is that we make sure we hire quality people to be our dispatchers,” Rogers said.