Friday, OCTOBER 24, 2025 |
Photo – Dispatch center – Bigfoot99 file photo
The Town of Saratoga has agreed to get rid of unused 911 response equipment, saving the town tens of thousands of dollars each year.
In November of 2023, a staffing shortage led the Saratoga Police Department to supplement its workforce with sheriff’s office personnel. Around that time, Sheriff Alex Bakken and then–Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris began exploring the possibility of permanently moving all dispatching services to the county.
Still short-staffed and facing $700,000 in communication equipment upgrades, the Saratoga Town Council voted last May to transfer all dispatching services to the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. As of July 1st, the county law enforcement agency has been handling all emergency calls for the Platte River Valley.
During the October 15th town council meeting, Police Chief John Moore reported that his department still maintains the 911 emergency response equipment, but it is not in use. Chief Moore asked for permission to dispose of the surplus gear.
The Intrado VIPER 911 system allows law enforcement agencies to track caller locations, receive text-to-911 messages, and maintain dispatch operations during outages. Chief Moore said that maintaining the emergency call system costs the town around $19,500 a year.
If the Saratoga Police Department resumes emergency dispatching in the future, Chief Moore said he would prefer that all calls continue to route through the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office. Under the previous system, 911 calls were transferred between departments, often forcing callers to repeat critical information multiple times to different operators.
Mayor Chuck Davis asked if the police department could resume 911 dispatching in-town if needed. Chief Moore said it was possible but noted that the department’s existing equipment is nearly obsolete. Modernizing the Saratoga Police Department’s 911 response system would cost approximately $300,000.
Chief Moore said the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office is already equipped with the Next Generation 911 infrastructure.
The governing body unanimously voted to dispose of the Saratoga Police Department’s 911 VIPER system, saving the town nearly $20,000 a year.
