GLEN CARBON - As the Glen Carbon Police Department prepares to answer 911 calls for additional local agencies, the Village Board approved purchases of new dispatch center equipment and a new police vehicle on Tuesday night.
As part of an ongoing Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) consolidation project, the Glen Carbon Police Department will soon be tasked with answering calls from the Pontoon Beach Police and Fire Departments, as well as the Mitchell and Long Lake Fire Departments.
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Police Chief Todd Link estimates the consolidation could lead to 6,000 additional 911 calls per year. To prepare for the increased workload, the board approved hiring an additional dispatcher earlier this summer.
Two items approved on Tuesday concern new equipment for an additional dispatch desk. Among the equipment approved is a fourth dispatch console from Watson Systems at a cost of $31,390.83 and a fourth radio console for $90,129.75. Link said these would be funded from the village’s Capital Improvements budget.
Link explained at Tuesday’s meeting that both of these items will complete a new, fourth desk system to join the current three desks in the dispatch center as the department gears up to take on these additional calls.
“Essentially, this is a desk system that would house a radio and computer for the fourth dispatch station,” Link said. “To increase our capacity, to get ready for these [calls], we want to build out this fourth station - this is all part of that project.”
The board also approved a separate police-related purchase for a 2025 Ford Explorer Interceptor from Lou Fusz Ford of Chesterfield, Missouri at a base price of $48,490, with the total price after upfitting costs not to exceed $62,000. Link said while it has not been budgeted for, he plans to use “federal seized assets” to purchase the new vehicle.
Link explained that one of the department’s vehicles, which had been moved from its standard patrol fleet to be driven by one of their detectives, has exceeded 115,000 miles and is experiencing continuous mechanical and maintenance problems. He aims to replace that vehicle with Unit 49, a squad car he said remains reliable after about 45,000 miles, filling its spot in the patrol fleet with the new 2025 Interceptor.
Village Board members unanimously approved three separate resolutions for each of the police department purchases.
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