October 2009
The City of Indianapolis has started working towards compliance with the new legislative bill passed earlier this year that requires dispatch center consolidation by December 31, 2014. Under this state law, a dispatch center (PSAP) is defined as the location in which a 911 call is answered and the appropriate response is dispatched. MECA has been facilitating dialogue between the City, Town and County Executives to determine how to best meet the requirements set forth by the legislature and determine whether consolidation should be Countywide or Regional. At this time, MECA will be proceeding with a Countywide PSAP consolidation approach. MECA has met three times with Marion County agency heads to discuss the implications of the new state law. Currently, there are 7 PSAPs (IMC, Beech Grove, Speedway, City of Lawrence, IUPUI, the Airport and Perry) in Marion County. Under this law, the Indianapolis Airport and IUPUI are exempt from the consolidation. MECA has currently identified eight potential solutions for consolidation, which run the gamut from complete dispatch consolidation under the Marion County Sheriff’s Department at our current location, to co-locating. There may be federal grants available for remodeling a different location to house the larger dispatch, or those same funds could be used to renovate our current building, but again, these are all unknowns at this point.