Paris, Tenn.–It was a big day for the Paris Police dispatch and Henry County 911.
Paris dispatchers made the big move Wednesday from City Hall to the new state-of-the-art Dispatch Headquarters at the Henry County 911 building on Brewer St. in downtown Paris.
The move culminated a process that has been ongoing for some time–years, actually. 911 Director Mark Archer recalled that the late Henry County Executive Herman Jackson was the first county official to push for a Central Dispatch years ago.
As an hour of testing and verification was ongoing this morning, Archer manned the computer screens at the 911 Building. “This is a big deal, you know it?”, he said.
Paris Police Chief Ricky Watson complimented Archer and 911 IT Supervisor Chad Howard for their hard work over the past months and the 911 Board “for their vision” in continuing to push for a Central Dispatch. “This will benefit the taxpayers and the citizens.”
Archer recalled that the first conversation he and Watson had after Watson was named Police Chief was about Central Dispatch and how they needed to work on it. “I’ve been looking forward to this day for a couple years now.”
Henry County received 10,412 calls to 911 last year, Archer said, with a total 30,000 calls for service and to 911.
The new Central Dispatch area can now host live training sessions with dispatchers. “They can have their training right here. And we’ll be able to have dispatchers from other counties come here for training, too.” The new headquarters will benefit dispatchers and their families in many ways, too, Archer said.
“They work 12 hour shifts” which takes a lot of time away from family. At the 911 building, they have space for families to come to visit with dispatchers on their breaks and even share meals. “We have a full kitchen here and they can use the kitchen and eat together,” he said. He also noted in the case of emergencies or disasters such as tornadoes, there is space in the 911 building with showers and cots so they could stay there for extended periods.
Photo: Dispatcher Kelvin Redditt in foreground and Dispatcher Angie Case in back, with Police Chief Ricky Watson looking on. Shannon McFarlin photo.