Ingham County’s Sheriff says he wants his office to take over the county’s 911 Dispatch Center permanently.
After the center’s director resigned last year, the Sheriff’s Office began managing it in September.
Extensive staffing shortages, excessive use of overtime and burnout among employees have been ongoing issues.
Speaking to WILX in a press conference Thursday, Sheriff Scott Wriggelsworth said there’s been some progress adding dispatchers to the center, but there’s still work to do.
"Our first priority is the people. Hiring, training, staffing and finding efficiencies in the operation to bring back some work life balance. These pros are tired and need relief from the grind of this profession."
Now the work continues — your monthly gift helps maintain this success and keeps public media free for all.
In October, Chief Deputy of the Sheriff’s Office Darin Southworth described the situation at the center as a "staffing emergency" with 14 vacant positions and many current staff members in training and not handling calls full time.
Southworth has been the interim director of the center. He's hired several part-time workers with previous dispatch experience to temporarily help out while new employees are brought on and onboarded.
"Those increments, are slow, but we we think that the plans and strategies we put in place now are certainly delivering on the projected benefit," he said.
The County Board of Commissioners will need to approve the move.
Wriggelsworth says the Sheriff's office could fold in around 70 employees after that.
Captain Andy Daenzer, who previously oversaw the county's Animal Control as an interim director, is expected to serve as Emergency Operations Division Commander to manage the Dispatch Center.
