University Heights Council Discusses Joint Dispatch Center Service with Cleveland Heights

The University Heights City Council received clarification and some answers to questions regarding their planned joint police and fire dispatch center Monday cleveland.com reports. The discussion came about when Council heard the first reading of a proposed ordinance that would authorize the mayor to enter into a shared dispatch agreement according to the website.

Patch previously reported on the city’s plan to combine its dispatch center with that of Cleveland Heights, South Euclid and Shaker Heights. Though not without a couple concerns, Council was generally positive about the idea with Councilman Mark Weisman even remarking that it save the city a lot of money, as reported by cleveland.com.

Mayor Susan Infeld said that not only will the city’s share of the cost should be covered by the $1 million county grant applied for by all four communities, but also that University Heights will see savings from the project going forward rather than immediately, the website reported.

Infeld also remarked that the city currently has three police dispatchers that will lose their jobs, however are free to seek employment at the new center, which will employ about as many dispatchers as the combined number of dispatchers working in the individual cities and will be trained in both fire and police dispatch according to cleveland.com.

University Heights FIre Chief Douglas Zook and Police Chief Steve Hammet were also reported present at the meeting Monday, with Hammet equating the idea to the future of dispatch. No location has been set, but 1611 S. Green Road in South Euclid has been discussed as a possibility.