January 19, 2024
Photo – Town of Saratoga Dispatch – Courtesy Saratoga Police Department
In Saratoga, the lack of staffing and aging equipment has prompted town officials to consider having the sheriff’s office permanently handle police dispatching for the Platte River Valley.
The Saratoga Police Department has its own dispatch center that handles emergency calls for the town and Encampment. Last November, Police Chief Mike Morris informed the town council that he was short of dispatchers and was investigating alternative ways to continue providing dispatching services.
A Memorandum of Understanding was created between the Saratoga PD and the Sheriff’s Department. Under the MOU, the sheriff provided county dispatchers to work in the Saratoga dispatch center until Chief Morris could find more employees. The MOU ended today (Friday).
Speaking at the January 16th Saratoga town council meeting, Chief Morris said the town’s emergency dispatch center is in bad shape. The police chief said the call center needs new dispatching equipment.
Chief Morris said it could cost up to $750,000 to purchase the necessary equipment needed to modernize the town’s emergency dispatch center. Even with brand-new equipment, Chief Morris said he will still be lacking the staff needed to run a 24/7 call center.
The police chief said the town has another option. Instead of paying three quarters of a million dollars to buy equipment that will be obsolete in a few years, Chief Morris said Saratoga could contract with the Sheriff’s Office to take over the town’s dispatch services. The chief said the idea is the best option for the town, despite his personal objections.
Chief Morris said the decision is entirely in the council’s hands.
Board of Carbon County Commissioners Chairwoman Sue Jones was present at Tuesday’s meeting. Chairwoman Jones said the county must work together to provide residents the services they require.
Sheriff Alex Bakken told the town council that Saratoga’s staffing shortage isn’t unique. Sheriff Bakken said other Wyoming counties have chosen to combine all emergency dispatching under one roof. The sheriff said the county must decide how it will tackle dispatching heading into the future.
Sheriff Bakken said having three separate dispatch centers in Carbon County means expensive new equipment must be bought in triplicate. The sheriff said a combined county-wide dispatch center would save Rawlins and Saratoga residents money.
Sheriff Bakken said the best plan is to shutter the Saratoga dispatch center and invite the town’s existing full-time dispatchers to work in Rawlins. The sheriff said combining the two work forces will help alleviate any future staffing issues.
Sheriff Bakken said his department is already equipped to dispatch for Saratoga and Encampment.
Mayor Chuck Davis asked how much it would cost to have the county take over the town’s dispatch center. Sheriff Bakken said he will ask Saratoga to pay the salaries of the dispatchers who transfer to the Sheriff’s Office. The county will pay for everything else. The sheriff said running an emergency dispatch center is getting more and more expensive.
Mayor Davis said he doesn’t like the idea of eliminating the town’s police dispatch center. But the mayor said he understands that the decision may be out of the council’s hands.
Mayor Davis instructed Chief Morris and Sheriff Bakken to continue working on the plan. The mayor said when they have the finalized details, the town will hold a public meeting to inform residents of why the decision is necessary. Mayor Daivs said only after listening the public input can the council decide the matter.
