City opts to pay county for dispatch services

    After months of discussion, and at times, heated exchanges, the city council voted Monday to pay the $35,000 annual fee the county has been seeking for dispatch services.
    Imperial Police Chief Ryan Wisnieski recommended the city pay the fee, saying it would be in the best interests of Imperial residents.
    Since the county quit dispatching for the police department and other city emergency services in August, the city has been using in-house dispatching.
    Wisnieski told the council and mayor that set-up has been working but it’s not ideal.
    He added he had researched other options, but felt the county dispatch was the best route.
    It was in the best interest of city residents, he added, to have its police officers answer 911 calls.
    Since the discontinuation of county dispatch, all 911 calls have been answered by county sheriff’s officers. Before, the police department answered 911 calls in the city limits. Wisnieski said signing the contract for dispatch will allow the county officers to concentrate on the county at-large.
    In talking with business owners and private citizens, he said they believe having the county dispatch was in their best interests and are willing to pay for it.
    “I believe this is an opportunity to work with the county. It gives the county the total sum they were asking for,” he said.

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