ROCKINGHAM — The consolidation of Richmond County’s dispatch services into the newly minted Emergency Services Complex may take some getting used to for residents as it will eliminate in-person contact with a dispatcher or administration staff after work hours and on weekends.
However, officials are confident that the overall impact of these changes will be positive.
The consolidation means that any time a resident needs law enforcement, whether for an emergency or not, they are encouraged to call 9-1-1 instead of the 10-digit phone numbers of the law enforcement agencies, according to Emergency Services Director Donna Wright.
Telecommunication staff, which were previously on hand at their respective law enforcement agencies 24/7, have now been moved to the Complex, leaving respective law enforcement agencies unattended between 5 p.m. and 8 a.m. and on weekends. However, the Rockingham Police Department’s (RPD) front door is always unlocked and has a phone inside that can be used to reach emergency services.
“The only difference between how business is conducted on Saturday and Sunday after the consolidation (and after hours), is simple: You cannot see the telecommunicator,” Wright said in an email, adding that there is also no need for residents to try to speak with anyone in person at the Complex. “Physical interactions are not necessary to serve the citizen’s needs.”
The Rockingham Police Department’s first day under the new system was Sunday, and one person, who asked to remain anonymous, became frustrated when they attempted to report a shooting from the previous night. The person went to RPD in person and called Emergency Services from the phone in the front lobby at 12:58 p.m.. At the time, there were two other calls pending for RPD, so it wasn’t until 1:19 p.m. that an officer was able to respond to the person’s needs, according to Wright.
Wright said in an email that this wait time would have occurred regardless of the change in location of the dispatcher.
Lt. George Gillenwater with RPD and Captain Marc Terry with the Hamlet Police Department — which moved their dispatch staff to the Complex on Jan. 27 — both stated that neither agency has had any complaints since their transitions.
“Really, not much has changed (with regard to the people needing to speak to law enforcement after hours) except now when they pick up the phone it will be a dispatcher at (Emergency Services) who will then dispatch a call,” Gillenwater said in a text. “We do anticipate some transitional problems to occur, but mostly administrative, and none that should affect the way we handle calls or affect the public’s ability to contact the police.”
Gillenwater added that the typical delays during periods of high call volumes are not expected to worsen. Terry said “it’s been a very good transition” to the new dispatch structure and no one has had to wait any longer than usual to speak to an officer.
“Anyone who needs police services needs to call 9-1-1 for a barking dog or for someone breaking in,” said Terry.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office’s dispatch staff will transition to the Complex in the coming weeks.
Richmond County was awarded a $6.3 million grant in August of 2015 to build the new facility. Wright said at the February meeting of the Board of Commissioners that the main reason for the new facility was to increase safety of both residents and law enforcement with the addition of better GPS services.
“If something happens (when calling the 10-digit number for law enforcement) and you can’t speak, all they have is (your) phone number but if you dial 9-1-1 we have a location,” Wright said. “That’s the biggest difference in why we want our citizens to call 9-1-1.”