The city of Evansville (Ind.) and surrounding Vanderburgh County merged their public safety comm centers back in 1988, but since then the agency has employed an African-American only twice—an office manager and a dispatcher who failed to complete training. That issue of minority hiring came up as the city and county are grappling with plans to merge all city and county agencies, including the county sheriff’s office and city police department. Comm center director Jo Anne Smith said the minority hiring pattern is simply a reflection of the few candidates of color who apply, and the high standards for accepting candidates. She pointed out that 29 of the comm center’s 37 dispatchers and clerical personnel are women, another hiring pattern that is just coincidental. The city and county now manage the comm center through an advisory board of representatives from all participating law enforcement and fire agencies. But a merger subcommittee recently recommended that the future comm center be operated under the sheriff’s department. Read more about the city-county merger here.
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I would caution the subcommittee putting dispatch under the sheriff. It makes the dispatch center a political chess piece that policy and procedures are dictated at the whim of whomever is holding that elected office. The commissioners in our county are in charge of the dispatch center and while they are also elected officials, there are 3 commissioners that ultimately make any final decisions on anything of controversy that is brought to them. We also have an appointed 911 board that the director keeps informed of the day to day operations in the center.
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