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6.1.A. - Page 20 <br /> 15. All cities that have outsourced police dispatch services, either to other cities or to the <br /> County, pay considerably less for dispatch services without degradation of service. <br /> Conclusions <br /> The Grand Jury concludes that: <br /> 1. The consolidation of dispatch departments is fiscally prudent, and fiscally beneficial to <br /> all parties involved. <br /> 2. The operation of dedicated dispatch centers in smaller jurisdictions is not cost effective <br /> and presents the challenges of providing adequate coverage during non-peak hours and <br /> sufficient coverage if a major emergency occurs. <br /> 3. Dispatchers operate under intense pressure when responding to 9-1-1 calls. They should <br /> be well-trained and free from competing responsibilities during their work shifts. <br /> 4. Dispatch consolidation enhances safety because it provides dispatch depth for handling <br /> large emergencies,justifies having a dedicated dispatch team not distracted by tangential <br /> responsibilities, and enables better training programs. <br /> 5. Several dispatch centers can easily accommodate more dispatch consoles and represent <br /> excellent alternatives for other cites considering contracting for police dispatch services. <br /> 6. A back-up arrangement with another facility for the law enforcement dispatch function in <br /> the Public Safety Communications Center should be developed. <br /> 7. Most of the objections to consolidation are not significant obstacles in practice. These <br /> include the perceived need for proximity, the different levels of service police <br /> departments provide, and differences of equipment in a quickly changing technological <br /> environment. <br /> 8. Interoperability with other regions of the state and nation can, and in the future will, <br /> improve response to natural and man-made disasters and facilitate the consolidation of <br /> public safety dispatch functions regionally. <br /> 9. The Grand Jury believes that in the long term the County would be well-served by <br /> consolidating law enforcement dispatch to two to three regional centers within the <br /> County. <br /> 10. City Councils should take a leadership role in driving consolidation of police dispatch <br /> centers. <br /> 11 <br />