iXP Conducts Communications Center Consolidation Assessment for Converse County, City of Douglas, and City of Glenrock, WY

Sector: County ands Municipal Government

Focus: Communications Center Consolidation

Started: Fall 2009

Situation

Converse County, WY, the City of Douglas, WY, and the City of Glenrock, WY engaged iXP to assess their current communications centers and examine the feasibility of and make recommendations on the possible consolidation into a single dispatch center. The Assessment establishes a baseline on how the Douglas Police Department, Converse County Sheriff, and Glenrock Police Department utilize their existing PSAP communication technology and operational facilities to support the service levels required by the County and Municipalities. This information helps to determine functional and performance requirements, the best possible utilization of existing technology, systems, the required space, and estimated costs to facilitate the consolidation of the three Agencies' communications operations. In addition, governance models and their pros and cons will be presented in the context of the Douglas / Converse County / Glenrock environment.

Solution

This assessment includes examination of current operations, technology, systems, facilities, and recommendations on governance, operations, technology, and facilities for a consolidated center. Major components of the assessment include:

• Review current E9-1-1 telephone network and potential configurations for a consolidated communications center
• Current radio systems at each of the three entities and their possible consolidation
• Review and provide recommendations regarding consolidation / replacement of existing Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems.
• Assessment of current use of other communications center technologies such as time synchronization systems and recording and logging systems
• Recommendations for technologies to be employed at a consolidated communications center
• Assessment of current facilities including emergency power systems, suitability of dispatch space, console furnishings and facility security, and identification of new space if needed.
• Recommendations for consolidated facility regarding size, emergency power systems, number of console positions, security and location
• Assessment of dispatch operations staffing levels, scheduling, workload, pay levels, benefits
• Recommendations regarding potential governance models and funding options
• Budgetary cost estimations (capital and operational) for all components of a consolidated communications center

Result

The agencies within the county will utilize the report produced by iXP to substantiate the benefits of consolidation and the necessary budget numbers to proceed. The County engaged iXP as the "Public Safety" experts/consultants with experience in both Communications Center consolidations, collocations, and migrations, as well as standards/best practices for building new public safety facilities.

It is anticipated that this project will be completed and a report delivered by spring of 2010.

Value Delivered. Problem Solved.