Grand Rapids Approves Dispatch Agreement

[bergg]

GR approves dispatch agreement
Expected to save the city $1.6 million per year
Updated: Tuesday, 20 Apr 2010, 11:18 AM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 20 Apr 2010, 11:18 AM EDT

By Joe LaFurgey
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids city commissioners have approved their part of an agreement that will join their community's emergency dispatch operation with Wyoming.

Deputy City Manager Eric DeLong said Wyoming commissioners approved the consolidation Monday night.

The move is expected to save Grand Rapids $1.6 million per year, during the next several years.

"That's 10 or 15 police officers," Delong told commissioners Tuesday morning.

The plan consolidates the two separate dispatch centers. Police and fire units will now be sent to calls from Grand Rapids dispatch facilities at police headquarters.

Both communities are part of the newly formed Kent County Dispatch Authority, which combines the 911 call-taking end of dispatch, from about a half of dozen centers to two.

DeLong said the deal with Wyoming could be expanded.

"If Kentwood or another community wanted to join, it would be a seamless transition," said DeLong.

The two cities have partnerships in other services, including the collection and distribution of bio solid waste.

Wyoming and Grand Rapids are in talks on combining fire services as well.

 

[bigbluemsp]

I was just over there in GR recently and there is alot of positive talk and feedback about this entire situation.

 

[jack3726]

Does anyone know where this is going to go as far as freqs go. It would be nice to know how the consolidation would work, is it going to streamline communications as well, example:

Wyoming PD and Fire would be dispatched on Grand Rapids Freqs or is this where they will keep there own freqs and just be centrally dispatched on them.

 

[bergg]

I understand the whole county will migrate to state wide 800 Mhz system.

Bob

 

[rki616]

This rumor keeps coming up. I can tell you that the County will not be on the State 800 system anytime soon. At a cost of 2-5K per radio and 200 per radio per year it just will not happen. The other part of this is the coverage sucks, they would have to add another 1-2 towers in the county. I've been plenty of places in the County that it does not work. Trust me.. Also the other part of this is the fact that the MSP system is already at capacity.

At some point would it be cool to have all of Kent County on it? Yes.. Do I see it happening anytime within the next 5-10 years? Nopers..

My best guess on things right now is this.

- Kentwood Fire - Moving to County Fire East
- Wyoming Police and Fire Staying on their current freq's just moving dispatch operations to the City of GR. (at least thats what I get from watching the news)..

Now if you watch the news articles they talk about Wyoming and GR doing some consolidation and that Kentwood and GR already are. I know that depending on where the call is in GR or Kentwood they will send a GR or Kentwood Engine to the scene as well.

A lot of this is still up in the air when it comes to planning and over the next 2 years it will be interesting to watch and see.