Client: East Windsor & the Borough of Hightstown, NJ
The Challenge
East Windsor has been diligent about keeping tax levels low for its residents. This is a direct result of the administration’s strict budgeting, scrutiny of expenditures, and proactive monitoring of spending throughout the year. The Township also faced problems with finding and maintaining competent staff. As part of this proactive approach to keep East Windsor an example of fiscal responsibility for coming years, the Township placed a request for proposals for managed services of the East Windsor Emergency Communication Center.
The Hightstown Police Department was understaffed in their Communications Center and was having difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. Their center also suffered facility and technology issues from the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene. The center was dispatching for both Hightstown and Cranbury police departments using separate computer aided dispatch technology systems. The PD was using police officers to cover dispatch positions that left an officer’s position in the field vacant, which reduced levels of service to the community and added unnecessary cost.
Our Approach
| IXP was able to craft a solution that jointly solved both clients’ issues. We led a comprehensive effort that seamlessly transitioned the two Communications Centers into a single, high service level, functioning center that is now serving the emergency call taking and dispatching needs of both communities. We provided leadership and technical services to meld computer aided dispatching (CAD), radio communication, telephony services, and logging and recording as well as recruited, hired, trained and transitioned staff from both locations, now all operating from a single, coordinated location. |
The Solution
This case study illustrates that a Managed Services approach can significantly decrease the costs over the current methodology of using unionized public sector workers. The managed services model has also returned police officers back to policing duties for Hightstown.
Our solution has provided the following benefits to East Windsor and Hightstown:
- Long term financial predictability
- A combined savings of $300,000 per year
- Return of Hightstown police officer hours to regular duties
Training provided to emergency Communications Center employees has helped service levels improve. Staffing levels have been set to ensure that time will be available to provide employees with ongoing in-service and continuing education opportunities. The services provided by the East Windsor Emergency Communications Center and the increased police officers on patrol, have improved the level of customer service for the citizens of both communities. IXP continues to provide management, staffing and technical services to this joint center.