LAKE TOWNSHIP, OH (Toledo News Now) - NorthernWood County police departments say they want to work together to make emergencyresponse times faster.
Theirplan is to create one dispatch center for northern Wood County. It woulddispatch officers and several fire departments to six different cities andvillages.
Eachday, 75-100 calls come in to the Lake Township Dispatch. One person manages theworkload, but they are duplicating services happening at another station only amile away in Northwood.
"Weall work together now," said Lake Township Police Chief Mark Hummer. "Criminalsdon't know boundaries. We really don't know boundaries anymore."
LakeTownship already contracts with Rossford Police and Fire, and Walbridge, forservices. Chief Hummer says creating one regional dispatch center makes sense.
"Onedispatch center, sharing that information with all of us, would facilitatebetter flow of information with the officers on the street," he said.
DianeVancena is in favor of the combined dispatch center. Her son died in 2006, andshe says if police were able to commute quicker, her son might still be alive.
"Timematters in emergencies," she said.
ChiefHummer says if he knows where everyone is, they can assist in emergenciesquicker.
Aconsultant is currently examining how feasible the regional dispatch center is,and will release a report in late July.
