At Monday's McCracken County Fiscal Court meeting, Commissioner Jerry Beyer proposed that a public workshop be held to discuss the possibility of transferring the county's 911 dispatch duties to KSP. The county currently spends $1.6 million a year on emergency dispatch services. Beyer said KSP has offered to do it for about half that amount. KSP already handles 911 calls for Graves and Lyon counties, and will soon be taking over Mayfield's emergency dispatch service.
McCracken County is facing a necessary $4 Million upgrade to its current 911 radio and telephone system, a cost Beyer said could be drastically reduced by switching. "Paducah McCracken County is facing complete replacement of radios and telephone systems, and these expenses would be assumed by the State Police." Beyer said. Beyer also noted that KSP has access to better resources, such as the ability to give emergency medical instructions over the phone that could potentially save lives. "They have medical dispatching information which we do not have in our system which allows their dispatchers to talk people through medical emergencies. They have a physician who monitors that program." Beyer said.
The county currently employs 20 emergency dispatchers. It's unclear if any of them would keep their jobs if the plan goes through. KSP has said they would need to hire 10 additional dispatchers to cover McCracken County.
Emergency dispatch services are paid for with city and county taxes, along with telephone fees residents see on their bills each month.
Judge Executive Van Newberry said the potential savings to taxpayers is a good reason to hold a meeting on the matter. "For the state police to say they can do it for half, that's a real attention grabber," Newberry said. "I think we owe it to the taxpayers to take a look at that."
A date for the public workshop will be set at the next Fiscal Court meeting.
