State Dispatcher S On The Move
As part of a $123 million deal with Lockheed Martin to consolidate law enforcement dispatching into five regional high-tech centers by the end of 2006, a new 20,944-square-foot facility near Harrisburg has been opened by Pennsylvania state police, designed to free up troops for work on the streets.
The effort includes the state’s Criminal Investigative/Traffic Safety Incident Information Management System program, which uses advanced technology to fight crime. A mapping system will allow dispatchers to plot incidents, locate state troopers, and provide directions to cruisers.
Currently, approximately 165 police officers are assigned to dispatching duties at 81 different locations, in addition to 325 dispatchers.
Consolidation means that fewer dispatchers will be needed and officers will be freed to carry out law enforcement. The five facilities will be staffed with about 250 dispatchers.
Abstracted by the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center(NLECTC) from the Hanover Evening Sun (07/01/04); Poster, Nancy.
