While the potential is there for OCECD to be a great service, somethings just...
Dave,
I beg to differ somewhat.
While I may not quite agree with some of his tactics, Chief Giudice, in the end, is concerned about the safety of his troops. Central is simply not ready to accept the burden of an additional agency, especially one that generates the amount of radio traffic volume that Monroe PD does (tune in and judge for yourself, 155.760R, 103.5). I can see his being concerned with having his officers lost in the mix when two dispatchers are trying to handle - in the best case scenerio - dispatching for nine other departments*. I say "best case" because that number could go as high as 18** when some agencies close their dispatch centers and polling calls are factored in. Would you as a police chief want your officers competing for air time and the attention of one of those two dispatchers?
I can fully understand Mayor Karl's concerns relating to easing the burden on his taxpayers, but two additional things must be considered: (a) what impact will getting rid of the Monroe dispatch center have on the fire department (since MPD dispatchs MFD - pagers will need to be reprogrammed, etc., etc, etc.)? and (b) since agencies already serviced by the County have recently left (i.e.: Pine Island VAC) or are considering leaving (Montgomery Police) dispatch by the County, what does that say about the quality of the service offered by the County? Simply adding a radio tower in Highland Mills to better cover Monroe doesn't make for better dispatching services. If any agency (like Monroe Police) really wants to have Central dispatch for them, I'd suggest that they wait at least six months or more to see if the move to the new building changes anything for the better. I, for one, am not holding my breath.
SCANdal
* Departments handled by Central full time
Deerpark Town
Mount Hope Town
Goshen Town
Chester Village
Florida Village
Maybrook Village
Montgomery Village
Chester Town
Greenville Constables (rarely on duty)
** Departments handled by Central when their own dispatch centers close (all in addtion to the departments served above):
Montgomery Town
Goshen Village
Blooming Grove Town
Washingtonville Village
County Sheriff's
Note: Town departments are polled 24/7 regardless of the status of their dispatch centers.
Departments with their own dispatch centers, but are polled by Central anyway:
Wallkill Town
Warwick Town
Crawford Town
Cornwall Town
State Police (execpt Thruway / Troop T)
FYI: additonal departments that have their own 'round-the-clock dispatch centers (most of whom can also talk to Central as well *, but are not polled)
- Cornwall-on-Hudson (by Cornwall Police)*
- Middletown
- Highland Falls (also handles Highlands)
- Newburgh City*
- Newburgh Town*
- Walden*
- Woodbury (also handles Harriman)*
- Greenwood Lake
- Monroe Village
- New Windsor*
- Tuxedo*
- Tuxedo Park*
- Port Jervis City
- Park Police
- MTA Police
- USMA Military Police
- DEC EnCon Police*