Warren councilman complains that officials are moving too fast to dissolve city’s dispatching center

Staff report

WARREN

A Warren councilman told Trumbull County commissioners it’s too soon for county and city officials to take final steps to transfer Warren’s police dispatching to the county 911 center.

The commissioners nonetheless approved a resolution at their regular meeting Wednesday, setting a 4 p.m. next Thursday hearing date to consider expanding the territory of the county 911 center into Warren.

Warren City Council also is setting a meeting date of 5 p.m. Monday to discuss the proposal at a council Police and Fire Committee meeting in council chambers.

Councilman Al Novak said there have discussions about moving Warren’s dispatching to the county, but no one has brought facts and figures to Warren City Council to consider.

He said the appropriate thing will be for Ernie Cook, director of the county 911 center, and Warren Safety-Service Director Enzo Cantalamessa to give a full explanation to council members.

“Many people in the public are asking, ‘What’s going on?’” and some are questioning whether it’s the right move, Novak said.

“A lot of people are saying, ‘Why are we giving up our dispatchers? They are the lifeblood of the police department.’”

He added that there have been “a lot of questions about the county 911 center” and how effectively it operates, and there are questions about what agency will be the backup to the county if the city’s dispatching operation goes away.

“I want a financial impact statement — what we have to pay per call,” he said. “What is the cost to our citizens?”

Officials have said the city will save about $500,000 per year if the city turns over police dispatching duties to the county.