Colorado Deparment of Local Affairs Executive Director Irv Halter (second from right) listens to Canon City Fire Chief Dave Delvecchio detail the effort that has gone into getting the new 9-1-1 dispatch center open. Joining the tour (to Halter's left) were Dispatch Supervisor Kris Meredith and Undersheriff Ty Martin.
Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) Executive Director Irv Halter toured Fremont County’s new combined regional dispatch center as part of a visit with local officials in Cañon City on July 16th. Halter and DOLA Regional Director Christy Culp joined the monthly luncheon meeting of local governmental managers for a discussion on a variety of issues impacting government and the economy in Fremont County and southern Colorado.
Following the meeting Halter and Culp toured the new 9-1-1 regional communications center which initiated operations on July 7th on the 4th floor of the Fremont County Judicial Center. Halter said projects like the dispatch center which will enhance public safety for Fremont County citizens is a prime example of how Colorado’s oil and gas severance tax revenues can be used along with local matching dollars to accomplish such significant projects. Fremont County Sheriff Jim Beicker, one of five members of the governing board for the dispatch center, said the project could have never gotten off the ground without the financial assistance from DOLA.
The dispatch center went “live” in the early morning hours of July 7th when Florence Police dispatchers transferred to the new center. Fremont County Undersheriff Ty Martin, who supervised construction of the new center, said many of the hardware and software problems that emerged on June 16th when the center was originally scheduled to start operating had been resolved.
Communications Center Supervisor Kris Meredith said Cañon City Police Dispatchers are scheduled to transition into the new center on July 28th. He said Cañon City dispatchers will start training in the coming days to begin familiarizing themselves with entirely new software for computer aided dispatching. Cañon City Fire Chief Dave Delvecchio, another member of the governing board, said the plan is for all dispatchers to officially become employees of the Combined Regional Communications Authority on August 1st.