Public Safety Board Holds Emergency Meeting On Delayed Dispatch System

The city’s Public Safety Board held an emergency meeting Friday to approve a contract amendment for the delayed development of the city’s emergency dispatch system. 

InterAct Public Safety Systems is under a $12.7 million contract with Indianapolis to create an EMS dispatch and public safety records management system.

It was to be completed by end of last year but it’s still not done.

And now InterAct is on the cusp of being acquired by a larger corporation as it faces fiscal problems.

The Public Safety Board voted to approve an amendment to the contact that would only be valid if InterAct is purchased by the yet-to-be named company.

Director of Public Safety Troy Riggs says the amendment enforces a Dec. 15 deadline for the system’s completion.

"Obliviously we are disappointed. We are protecting the investment that taxpayers have made in this system and moving forward. But also we do have a plan B," Riggs says. "The tax payers have my word that as we move through this, if this deal does not happen, we will be very open and transparent about what our process is and how we are going to move forward."

The computer aided dispatch system, also called CAD, is how police, fire and EMS services are sent into the community when someone calls 911.

The city’s current dispatch system is around 20 years old. It required $450,000 worth of maintenance last year and an estimated $750,000 in upkeep from the company Tiburon is expected this year, said Valerie Washington, deputy public safety director.

Contact WFYI reporter Eric Weddle at eweddle@wfyi.org or call (317) 614-0470. Follow on Twitter: @ericweddle.