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Amherst, UMass police negotiate joint dispatch
News Daily Collegian
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
Officials representing Amherst, Hadley and the University of Massachusetts are negotiating to create a joint emergency dispatch center in an effort to cut down on redundancy in calls received and units dispatched.
A $10,000 study to determine if such a system is feasible for the three entities will be discussed at a meeting this month.
Though the Amherst and University of Massachusetts police departments do not share jurisdiction, they have cross-jurisdictional authority through a "mutual aid agreement." Amherst also provides ambulance service for Hadley and UMass in addition to fire service at UMass.
"If Amherst makes a call to the University for back-up assistance, the University will respond to Amherst's call for assistance," said Amherst Town Manager Laurence R. Shaffer.
He said the same happens if the University calls the Amherst Police Department for help.
With one joint dispatching service, the police, fire department and medical personnel would be summoned with one phone call.
"It is something that's worth pursuing," said Hadley Town Administrator David G. Nixon. "There's legislation working its way through the Statehouse that could provide substantial financial incentives for communities to regionalize emergency dispatch functions."
He said the incentives to having a joint emergency dispatch center might be reduced costs, better interoperability of communications, more coordinated and integrated responses to emergency situations and better deployment of resources - both human and material.
Nixon said Gov. Deval Patrick supports the idea and encourages local officials to explore the possibility. He said in the midst of a sour economy and diminishing resources, it is important for town leaders to examine ways of increasing revenue and cutting costs while providing municipal services with more efficiency.
The UMPD and the two towns are in an exploratory series of conversations over the issue, and Shaffer, Nixon and UMPD Chief Barbara O'Connor were quick to point out that they don't necessarily think it is essential to have a joint emergency dispatch center but worth looking into. They said it is important to stress that officials are exploring whether the plan is even feasible.
Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli00@gmail.com.
A $10,000 study to determine if such a system is feasible for the three entities will be discussed at a meeting this month.
Though the Amherst and University of Massachusetts police departments do not share jurisdiction, they have cross-jurisdictional authority through a "mutual aid agreement." Amherst also provides ambulance service for Hadley and UMass in addition to fire service at UMass.
"If Amherst makes a call to the University for back-up assistance, the University will respond to Amherst's call for assistance," said Amherst Town Manager Laurence R. Shaffer.
He said the same happens if the University calls the Amherst Police Department for help.
With one joint dispatching service, the police, fire department and medical personnel would be summoned with one phone call.
"It is something that's worth pursuing," said Hadley Town Administrator David G. Nixon. "There's legislation working its way through the Statehouse that could provide substantial financial incentives for communities to regionalize emergency dispatch functions."
He said the incentives to having a joint emergency dispatch center might be reduced costs, better interoperability of communications, more coordinated and integrated responses to emergency situations and better deployment of resources - both human and material.
Nixon said Gov. Deval Patrick supports the idea and encourages local officials to explore the possibility. He said in the midst of a sour economy and diminishing resources, it is important for town leaders to examine ways of increasing revenue and cutting costs while providing municipal services with more efficiency.
The UMPD and the two towns are in an exploratory series of conversations over the issue, and Shaffer, Nixon and UMPD Chief Barbara O'Connor were quick to point out that they don't necessarily think it is essential to have a joint emergency dispatch center but worth looking into. They said it is important to stress that officials are exploring whether the plan is even feasible.
Domenic Poli can be reached at dpoli00@gmail.com.
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