DEARBORN HEIGHTS, Mich. – Police and fire personnel weighed in on what would be substantial savings in just two years if Dearborn Heights’ 911 dispatch center joined the Dearborn Unified Dispatch Center, which includes seven communities.
The estimate in savings is a little more than $1 million in over two years. If Dearborn Heights continues to go on its own, there will be substantial money needed to overhaul its dispatch center.
“People of Dearborn Heights, if you don’t want this, you have to make sure you know you’re going to be paying extra money in your taxes,” city Councilman Ray Muscat, mentioning that the issue should be turned over to the voters.
Current Dearborn Heights dispatchers made their displeasure known with the idea. Not only do they not want to see the consolidation, some said in the meeting that they would not be interested in jobs in Dearborn because they would lose their seniority.
Out of 138 dispatches in Michigan, only 36 of them are a single entity, and of those single entities, several are universities and airports. Wayne County is the only county in the state that does not have a countywide consolidated dispatch.
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