Dispatch centers consider combining

By Nick Grabbe and SCOTT MERZBACH
Staff Writers

Published on August 29, 2008

A proposal to consolidate the 911 answering services of Amherst, Hadley and the University of Massachusetts into one system is winning support from local officials.

A bill making its way through the Legislature would provide substantial financial incentives to towns to regionalize their emergency dispatch services, said Hadley Town Administrator David Nixon.

A feasibility study has been proposed to look at the existing system and examine whether regionalization of police, fire and ambulance calls could produce cost savings as well, he said.

"It's the way we have to go in this economy and not duplicate things we're all doing," said Amherst Police Chief Charles Scherpa, who said he's been proposing regionalization of emergency dispatch for five years. "In the long run, it will prove to be a very wise decision."

Ironically, Hadley is considering going in the opposite direction on the provision of ambulance service. Emergency medical calls made in Hadley have been responded to by the Amherst Fire Department for years, but town officials are looking at going their own way because of requests by Amherst Town Manager Larry Schaffer for higher payments.

Perceived advantages

A combined dispatch service would provide a bigger pool of employees to draw on when one is unavailable, Scherpa said. A dispatcher's job is stressful and there is a high turnover rate, he said.

A combined dispatch center could sell its services to smaller towns, he said.

Shaffer, the Amherst town manager, said the regionalization effort was among the topics he discussed last week with incoming UMass Chancellor Robert Holub.

As the number of 911 calls rises each year, Shaffer said regionalization could improve the emergency service and increase efficiency.

"I think it's a very interesting effort," Shaffer said. "It spells out the whole notion of how entities can wrestle with the idea of efficiency and being more productive."

Shaffer said Amherst will form a committee to look at regionalization and probably hire a consultant to evaluate how the consolidation would work.

"We will probably ask UMass and Hadley to commit to funding a study to see if our expectations are accurate," Shaffer said.

The Hadley Board of Selectmen voted 3-1-1 last week in favor of contributing $3,000 to the $16,000 feasibility study. The vote does not obligate Hadley to participate and was intended to give the sense of the board.

Board member Barbara O'Connor abstained from the vote because she is the UMass police chief. But she cited the potential advantages of regionalization.

"We're so territorial in Massachusetts," she said. "These models exist all over the country. There are only six 911 offices in California."

Regionalization could enhance public safety, make better use of resources, and "go hand in hand with developing mutual aid" between the various police and fire departments, O'Connor said.

"Small towns don't need individual (dispatch) systems," she said.

At the same time, there are questions about who would hire and supervise the dispatchers, and concerns that one town would be in control of the service, O'Connor said.

Board member Daniel Dudkiewicz cast the only no vote Aug. 20. "I don't want someone in another town prioritizing requests from Hadley residents," he said.

Dennis Hukowicz, the Hadley police chief, said he is opposed to regionalization. Resident John Mieczkowski said Hadley has an established emergency dispatch system.

"We have full control of our dispatch," he said.

"It's ours. When you move it somewhere else, you lose that control."

Scherpa said most dispatch work is done through established policies and there are few judgment calls involved.