High Tech Updates to MPD to Save Time, Lives

The Muskego Police Department held its own ribbon cutting Tuesday night of its improved data center and wireless 9-1-1 operations.  

John Wisniewski, IT director for the city, described the project that took the systems equipment from out of the basement of the MPD as a "massive undertaking," but one that ultimately keeps all of the city's data secure and stable.

Previously, the room that housed the systems was carpeted and was equipped with a water-based fire prevention system, both of which could have created problems and possible breakdown of the equipment.

The new data center has been sealed to keep the area clean and the floor tiles are made to dissipate static.  In addition, the room is temperature-controlled and is now equipped with a gas-based fire prevention system, which if activated will not compromise the equipment.

These updates have enabled the MPD's 9-1-1 upgrades.  Captain John Latour explained that Muskego will now be only the second city in the county to operate as a secondary public safety answering point (PSAP). Menomonee Falls is the other. The new system now allows dispatchers to "see" the caller from their cell phone XY coordinates.  

"This will be immensely helpful when we receive a call that someone is on Big Muskego Lake and because of the shifting bogs, is lost," Latour said.  "We can also locate calls that come in if someone is observing a drunk driver and isn't sure of where they are."

The Mayor and Aldermen were present for a demonstration of the new system, which involved a "test call" from a cell phone to the Waukesha County Communications center and showed the time it would take for Muskego to receive this call.  While the enhanced system cuts down on the response time, Latour was hoping that this would position Muskego to take the next step.

"While all land line calls come directly to Muskego, cell phone calls still will go to Waukesha, and there is a delay of 60 to 90 seconds in our dispatch center receiving these calls," LaTour explained.  "We're looking into what we will need to do to become a primary PSAP, which will mean that we can save time in responding to these calls."

Wisniewski confirmed that a primary upgrade would mean that cell phone towers would be programmed to "read" local wireless calls to 9-1-1 and send them directly to Muskego rather than to the WCC, saving up to 90 seconds in response time. MPD Chief Paul Geisler and others are planning on visiting the Bayview Police Department, which operates the only primary PSAP in Milwaukee County to gain more information.