Richardson County talks with Southeast Communications 911 Center (NE)

FALLS CITY – Richardson County commissioners may have found their answer to 911 dispatching dilemmas with the Southeast Communications 911 Center.

FALLS CITY – Richardson County commissioners may have found their answer to 911 dispatching dilemmas with the Southeast Communications 911 Center.


Sunset Hills will start providing police dispatching services for neighboring Crestwood this July, after aldermen in both sister cities approved a contract this month that holds neither liable if things go wrong.
The Sunset Hills Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a $135,000 annual contract May 11 to provide police and 911 dispatching services for the Crestwood Police Department starting in July, while the Crestwood Board of Aldermen also unanimously approved the contract in a special meeting May 18.
The funds could be used for a pay matrix…
Just in 2018, one year after the radio system was purchased, problems began to plague officials. In one instance, a KPD officer who had his firearm drawn was unable to reach dispatch. In another incident that same year, firefighters from the Kokomo Fire Department responded to an incident and lost communication. As a result, firefighters were pulled out and switched over to backup channels before returning to the scene.Now, it seems the issues are rearing their head once more, according to Howard County Sheriff Jerry Asher and Kokomo Police Department Chief Doug Stout.Deputies and officers with both KPD and the sheriff’s office have reported various issues, ranging from not being able to transmit from certain locations to difficulties hearing or understanding orders from the dispatch system. Officials say they are working to find a solution by addressing how issues are reported.According to Stout, KPD officers have reported difficulties in transmitting from certain locations and that he, Asher, and other officials have met to attempt to define what information is needed to diagnose the issues.
Lori Henricksen, director of the emergency telecommunications program for high schoolers at the Veterans Tribute Career and Technical Academy in Las Vegas (Nevada), discusses the creation of her program and the challenges it presents, as well as the benefits of training teenagers for careers in first response…