The Naperville Police Department is saddened to inform the public of the death of the its communications manager, Beth Cortina.

She succumbed from natural causes at Edward Hospital in Naperville on Jan. 14, 2011, at about 6 a.m. after a year-long battle with cancer, according to a notice sent Friday by the department. She served the city of Naperville since Jan. 18, 1999. 

Mrs. Cortina began her career in public service as a dispatcher in 1989 with the Neptune Beach, Fla. police department. In 1994, she joined the Sheboygan, Wis., department as a telecommunicator until she signed on with the Naperville Police Department as an emergency communications supervisor. She was promoted to the position of communications manager in 2006. 

During her career at the Naperville Police Department, Mrs. Cortina was instrumental in the communication section's recognition as a Flagship Agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).

Since 2007, she served as an Illinois executive board member for the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), and she also was an active member for International APCO committees. Additionally, she acquired certification through APCO as a Registered Public Leader in 2007.

Arrangements are pending.