Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Cellular 911 PSAP

From: "Gregg Lengling" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 19:47:24 -0000

http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/feb04/211341.asp
Consolidate 911 call centers, Barrett says
Pratt spokeswoman calls opponent's proposal premature
By PETER MALLER
[email-masked]
Posted: Feb. 29, 2004
Saying there is no reason for the city and Milwaukee County to have "dueling
911 systems," mayoral candidate Tom Barrett called Milwaukee's new police
communications center "a poster child for why we need new leadership in the
city."

City and county officials could improve public safety and save millions in
tax dollars by designating the city as the "primary center for all 911 calls
in the county," but such leadership is lacking, Barrett said Sunday outside
the building housing the center at N. 49th St. and W. Lisbon Ave.

The facility, which opened Wednesday after running about $43 million over
budget, is equipped to pinpoint the location of calls from cell phones, but
the technology isn't being used, Barrett said. Instead, the county's 911
center is handling those calls without being able to locate the callers, he
said.

The county "is handling a service they don't even deal with," Barrett said.
"As mayor, I would get on the phone immediately and say, 'We have to work
together.' "

Acting Mayor Marvin Pratt's spokeswoman, Bridgette Ridgeway, called
Barrett's Sunday morning news conference a "gimmick."

Pratt, Barrett's opponent in the coming election, has already demonstrated
that he's "committed to efficiencies and saving taxpayers' dollars," and he
will continue to explore more opportunities, Ridgeway said. She said Pratt
was unavailable to comment personally on Sunday.

Without saying specifically that Pratt supported consolidation, she said he
would be strongly positioned for such a change because he's supported by
Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. and also had a role in selecting Police Chief
Nan Hegerty, Ridgeway said.

Barrett's proposal is "premature" because he first must recruit support from
law enforcement officials throughout the county, she said.

Barrett blamed poor communication and a lack of cooperation among city
departments for the new center's costing $64 million instead of $20.8
million, as estimated. The building also houses the 3rd District police
station.

If the city and county consolidated services, the state would reimburse the
city about $13 million for development costs and pay a significant portion
of operating expenses, he said. Gov. Jim Doyle and state legislators support
consolidation, Barrett said. Suburban Milwaukee mayors also favor a central
911 system, he said.

The city could get state money because of legislation that supports
financial assistance for consolidating 911 services in each county, Barrett
said.

Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker said Sunday that he's behind
Barrett's concept. Walker promoted it last year at a meeting with Clarke and
John O. Norquist, then Milwaukee's mayor, "because it just doesn't make any
sense to duplicate services," he said.

"But the biggest problem is making sure that the technology works between
all the municipal police departments" in the county "before throwing the
switch." The county wants to be assured radios used by the various
departments are compatible, he said.

That's a small matter to overcome, Barrett said.

"We're not talking about millions and millions of dollars. If the radios
don't work, get new radios," Barrett said.

From the March 1, 2004 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

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