By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–At a busy meeting Monday afternoon, the Henry County 911 Board approved the move by the Paris Police dispatch into the new center inside the Emegency Communications building on North Brewer St.
The new dispatch center is complete and Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson said it is time to move the city dispatchers into it. “We’ve put it off long enough. We have facility that’s state of the art here and it needs to be utilized. It doesn’t compare with what we have at City Hall. It’s been a long time coming.”
Watson requested that the move be made by May 1. “I thought if there’s a date on it, things will work faster,” he said.
911 Attorney Rob Whitfield said an interlocal agreement between the city of Paris and the 911 board needs to be prepared and approved, along with a Memorandum of Understanding between all parties.
911 Board Chair John Etheridge (who also is a Paris City Commissioner) noted that the dispatchers “still are city employees” and would be subject to city supervision.
In other business:
–The 911 Board heard updates from Director Mark Archer on projects: Console Radio System, Ovewatch Cyper Secuity, Security Login, Backup Radio System and AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location).
–Drew Wheatley of the Susan Jones PR firm in Paris updated the board on the progress with the 911 program’s new website. The structure of the site is mainly completed, he said, and thanked the board for working with the firm. “We appreciate the opportunity to work for you,” Wheatley said.
Photo by Shannon McFarlin.