Dispatcher shakes it off after announcing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement over scanner

Taylor Swift gets a kiss from Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce as they arrive to watch play between Jannik Sinner, of Italy, and Taylor Fritz, of the United States, during the men's singles final of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 8, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Police dispatcher Julia Jordan accidentally added a dash of celebrity gossip to her public service this week when she shared “Taylor Swift is engaged” over a hot microphone.

That appears to be how officers in the Lansing, Michigan, area learned about the superstar singer’s betrothal to Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.

The official announcement, made in a five-photo joint post on Instagram, marks the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world.

Joyful chaos ensued nationwide, with oddsmakers taking bets on when and where the celebrity couple will wed. Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base, can even wager on the flavour of the wedding cake.

Kansas City-based tax preparer H&R Block sent out a light-hearted email to staff, telling them they could head home early to check social media feeds and debate potential wedding playlists.

“Celebrate love. Speculate about the dress. Argue whether the reception will be held in KC or a castle in Europe,” the email said.

Matthew Pittman, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, hastily organized a skit before his social media class began Tuesday, pretending to cancel a test because of the engagement.

“I can’t focus. You all can’t focus. Class is cancelled, get outta here,” Pittman told the students.

Video shows the students grabbing backpacks and rushing for the door. By the end of class, the video had around 50,000 views and by dinner around 1 million. It was so convincing that some news outlets mistakenly reported that Pittman actually did call off class because of the engagement. He had to reassure a higher up at the university that he hadn’t.

“This is going to be like a royal wedding,” said Pittman, who has dozens of Swift’s songs on his running and workout playlist. “We don’t have a real king or queen or prince or princess, but we have this now. This is the joyous, happy love story. A lot of people need it.”

Jordan, the Ingham County, Michigan, dispatcher, said the last big event that she watched with co-workers was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 2018 nuptials. Now she thinks they might watch Swift and Kelce’s wedding together, especially after what happened.

After the first scanner flub, an officer informed her, “You had an open mic there,” and then deadpanned, “That’s great news about Taylor Swift.”

Jordan tried to fix the problem, but laughter erupted when she continued: “Dispatch. I’m clear. Yeah. Aren’t you happy about Taylor Swift?”

Jordan had been eagerly awaiting the news from the singer, whose hit song “Shake It Off” spoke to her. “We do a hard job, lots of dark things, so it’s kind of nice to be able to laugh a little,” she said.

Officers played along with the scanner mishap, one asking, “Well, give us some more gossip, at least.”

“It’s a big ring,” Jordan said.

“Best hot mic ever,” an officer declared.

Jordan has been ribbed ever since. “I had one ask me when I was planning to retire, and I said not soon enough.”

Heather Hollingsworth, The Associated Press