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Village of Oak Lawn considers outsourcing dispatching
An article in the Oak Lawn Patch recently highlighted the village's plans to potentially shut down its own emergency communications center and instead partner with NORCOMM, a regional public safety communications provider. According to the report, Oak Lawn officials seem intent on finding a private contractor to handle their 911 emergency dispatch services.
At a special budget meeting held on November 6, a surprising proposal surfaced to outsource the village's 911 dispatch operations. This move would maintain managerial positions but aim to outsource the roles of the 20 civilian police employees who are currently unionized.
Kathy Hansen, the director of Oak Lawn's emergency communications, noted that due to declining revenues from state-regulated line surcharges as people increasingly use mobile phones, the department faces financial challenges. Despite these pressures, the center remains responsible for handling 911 calls for five police departments and ten fire departments across the south suburbs.
The village has expressed interest in contracting with NORCOMM, which was established in 1994 and serves as Illinois' first 911 call center for police, fire, and emergency medical dispatch services. By outsourcing to NORCOMM, the village anticipates saving $893,000 over the next two years. These funds could then be redirected toward adopting advanced technologies, such as enabling the receipt of emergency text messages.
Additionally, NORCOMM would lease Oak Lawn's modern emergency communications facility, generating extra revenue for the village. Village Manager Larry Deetjen emphasized that NORCOMM offers competitive wages and benefits, along with greater opportunities for career progression. Current emergency dispatchers would have priority in applying for open positions, though they would transition to NORCOMM’s corporate pension plan rather than the Metropolitan Alliance of Police’s union pension scheme.
Deetjen remarked that he believed many of the 20 affected positions would remain filled by existing employees, despite the change in employer. He pointed out that the work environment, uniforms, and overall conditions would remain largely unchanged. Furthermore, the village currently covers about 55% of the dispatch center's operational costs, but under the new arrangement, this burden would decrease to 45%.
Hansen reported that departmental overtime expenditures reached $124,855 as of August 2013, with one individual receiving $55,000 in overtime alone. Without overtime, the highest-paid dispatchers earned around $69,000 annually, with benefits adding another $28,000. The proposed cost savings stem from adopting more market-driven salary and benefit structures, which align with those offered by neighboring dispatch centers.
Village Manager Deetjen extended an open invitation to union leaders, encouraging continued dialogue to address concerns about job security and compensation. He acknowledged that several communities are exploring alternative service providers, including other regional dispatch centers and private vendors like NORCOMM.
In summary, while outsourcing presents both financial and operational advantages, Oak Lawn remains committed to working collaboratively with its employees to ensure a smooth transition while maintaining high-quality emergency services.
*Thanks, Dan.*