State mandated consolidation of 911 dispatch centers

Statewide consolidation of 911 emergency systems has been promoted by supporters, including Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office, as a positive move. However, leaders in Madison County are not convinced.

Many local fire and police chiefs in the county have expressed concerns that merging individual systems into one statewide network—requiring Madison County to cut its number of public safety answering points (PSAPs) from 16 to 8—will not improve service for residents. Instead, they fear it could compromise public safety and strain local budgets.

Illinois Public Act 099-0006 became effective on January 1, 2016, creating the Office of the Statewide 9-1-1 Administrator. This office is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing a uniform 911 system across the state, except for Chicago, which has a population over 500,000.

As part of the initiative, counties with more than 250,000 residents were required to develop a plan to reduce their PSAPs by half. Earlier this year, Catherine Kelly, a spokesperson for Gov. Rauner’s office, told the Belleville News-Democrat that consolidation was beneficial for the state.

“Consolidation makes government more efficient and better uses taxpayer dollars, and this bill accomplishes that while increasing public safety,” she said in February.

County officials, however, disagree. In 1989, Madison County voters approved a 67-cent surcharge on phone lines to fund the local 911 system. Recently, the county has been working on a Next Generation 911 system—an IP-based platform that allows seamless transfer of digital information like voice, photos, videos, and text messages from the public to first responders.

Madison County 9-1-1 Coordinator Terence McFarland called the system “state of the art.”

East Alton Mayor Joe Silkwood added, “From a public safety standpoint, we have a very good system right now. When people call 911, we respond efficiently and effectively.”

The financial implications of consolidating PSAPs have also raised concerns among local leaders. There are currently 225 dispatchers employed across the county’s 16 PSAPs, all located within police department headquarters. Consolidation could lead to job losses.

Wood River Police Chief Otis Steward explained that dispatchers do more than just direct officers. They also monitor prisoners, enter warrants, and handle other critical tasks.

“(Dispatching) probably accounts for five percent of what they do,” he said. “So, we are not going to give up our dispatch to somewhere else. If you’re willing to hand over your dispatch, that’s fine. We are keeping ours.”

Currently, dispatchers are paid by the city or department that employs them. The equipment, including computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems and geographic information systems (GIS), is funded through the 911 phone surcharge.

If other departments also retain their dispatchers, as Bethalto Lt. Craig Welch and East Alton Chief Darren Carlton have indicated, the cost of consolidation may actually increase. Local leaders are unsure who will bear these additional expenses.

Counties had until last Thursday to submit consolidation plans or apply for a waiver. The Madison County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) requested an extra year beyond the July 1, 2017 deadline. The request is under review and will be decided within 90 days.

In the meantime, ETSB plans to commission an independent study to assess the feasibility of various consolidation options. The study will also examine collective bargaining agreements, dispatch center improvements, and potential costs.