 |
Snow a white blanket with a gentle touch locally
Newberg boy hit,
flown to OHSU
New tougher state
law targets those who drink and drive
Dispatch
center may
leave town |
Newberg Police Department exploring joining
Washington County system to save money |
By Gunnar Olson, Newberg Graphic
reporter
E-mail Gunnar at golson@eaglenewspapers.com
|
 The Newberg Police Department is exploring moving
its dispatch center out of town.
Police Chief Robert Tardiff said the department has been in communication with the
Washington County 9-1-1 Communication Center (WCCCA), discussing the possibility of
channeling Newberg and Dundee’s ambulance, police and fire department calls through
the operation in Aloha.
Unless there are unseen costs in moving the dispatch to the WCCCA, Newberg
stands to save a lot of money, as much as $160,000 per year, Tardiff said.
“We’re talking a substantial amount of money.”
But, he stressed, “There’s been no decision made,” and the
department is still looking at start-up costs and contracts.
Tardiff provided a memorandum with a breakdown of the costs and savings of
setting up dispatch with WCCCA. The memorandum says the city would cut its current
expenses by about $280,000, but would add roughly $116,000 of expense for the
records-keeping staff it would need to hire.
The Dundee Police Department will also be affected if the dispatch center is
moved. Its dispatch goes through Newberg now, and, if it chose to, could move with Newberg
to Washington County. This option would increase its cost for dispatch by about $10,000,
according to the memorandum.
Dundee Police Chief Dan Hess had not returned a phone call for comment as of
press time Tuesday. Tardiff said Dundee is exploring other options, as well.
Tardiff said city manager Jim Bennett would recommend that Newberg help
Dundee in this matter, but the decision would ultimately be made by the Newberg City
Council.
Tardiff is aware the potential move could become an emotional issue within
the department, especially for dispatch personnel. He said he was trying to present the
option not emotionally, but in a “business manner.” The police department has
asked its staff to give its input on the possible move, as well.
If the move were made, dispatch workers could apply for the openings created
at the WCCCA or in the new records department, Tardiff said. At least a couple dispatchers
are currently applying for other jobs.
The memorandum points out that Newberg is one of only a few small cities that
have their own dispatch centers. It says that Tigard, Tualatin, King City and Sherwood are
as far or farther away from the WCCCA than Newberg and also use the WCCCA.
The Newberg dispatch provides the police department with some advantages, the
chief maintained. For example, dispatchers are at an advantage to be working with a
smaller coverage area, one that is inherently more familiar to them than a larger cover
area would be. Dispatchers at Newberg also monitor the jail’s prisoners by video
camera, answer the lobby intercom after hours and admit officers into the jail.
But the department pays more to have its own dispatch.
The switch to WCCCA would increase the coverage the officers and firefighters
would have, he said. The switch would be easy to do, too, as simple as switching channels
on the radio. Newberg’s equipment is compatible with the communication center in
Aloha, Tardiff said.
“We have to look at this option,” Tardiff said. |
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From Dec. 31,
2003, Newberg Graphic
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