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Middlesex sheriff's office receives $455,000 grant for regional 911 center

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#1 ·
Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian is pleased to announce the Middlesex Sheriff's Office (MSO) has been awarded a $455,000 grant from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS).

The Regional Emergency Communications Center Development Grant is designed to streamline all 911 emergency calls into one regional entity. The MSO has been tapped to be the conduit for five communities in Middlesex County, including; Wakefield, Melrose, Stoneham, Reading, North Reading and Lynnfield from Essex County.

The recently awarded grant will be used to help fund the engineering and architectural design of a new facility that would house the Middlesex Regional Emergency 911 Communication Center. The center would be governed by representativesof all participating communities.
"We are proud to partner with our local cities and towns to help streamline public safety and ensure our citizens receive the best resources possible," said Sheriff Koutoujian. "This grant will be the first step toward realizing this important public safety facility; one that will increase efficiency and communication across the region."

Currently, all six communities operate their own individual 911 emergency call centers. A feasibility study showed that combining 911 emergency call centers would improve public safety by facilitating resource-sharing across the municipalities . The center will also combine police, fire and EMS dispatch services under one roof.

"The Patrick-Murray administration established the 911 grant program for cities and towns and other entities to cover select personnel and equipment costs and to foster regionalization," said Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan.
"We believe a regional communication center like the Sheriff's, allows for increased and more efficient coordination of a region's limited emergency response resources."

By enabling local police departments to rely on a regional entity, they are better equipped to respond to emergencies and will better utilize their sometimes limited resources.

"The development of a regional emergency communications center will have a positive impact by sharing new technologies, saving on redundant systems and allowing for interoperability at local, county, state and federal levels," said Stoneham Police Chief Richard Bongiorno. "Communities served by a regional center will continue to receive exceptional service from police, fire and emergency medical services and will optimize public safety effectiveness."

Read more: Middlesex sheriff's office receives $455,000 grant for regional 911 center - Reading, MA - The Reading Advocate Middlesex sheriff's office receives $455,000 grant for regional 911 center - Reading, MA - The Reading Advocate
 
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#33 ·
Different state, same experiences...

Main campus is in Hattiesburg, and the Forrest County Regional Jail is used to us. We use the same county attorney to prosecute, we make enough arrests they are used to seeing us. In and out, no issues.

Long Beach campus is in Harrison County. They require their own forms filled out for every misdemeanor, plus a complete DA package for any felonies. We might book a handful a year there so each time it's an adventure. Or, at least... everyone involved has to go look up how to do it or ask a supervisor.

Research labs are in Jackson County. Haven't had to take anyone there yet. We shall see.

The odd part is that due to a single clause in our establishing statutes, all our prisoners are the responsibility of the county. We don't have to pay for housing them, or medical care or anything.

But down here all the jails deal with odd agencies to some extent. Nobody has their own lockups, so Highway Patrol, Marine Resources, Department of Transportation, even (gasp!) Constables all book their catch at the local jail.
 
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#36 ·
Years ago, the place we book the most worked with us and now, we simply submit OUR reports (which were modified to mimic theirs) and don't have to fill out theirs. The city across the river wants our reports on THEIR system. We use it so rarely that none of us are sure how to do it. Many of the guys over there are pretty good and understanding and help us along but it never fails to get that one or two guys who are SO PUT OUT by us even being there that they roll their eyes if we so much as cough. It's absurd and silly. We try to work very hard with these guys and many of them understand that, but just too damn many don't seem to realize that, if we've been around for 70+ years, we ain't going away too soon.
 
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