Police get better, cheaper dispatch services

Maricopa police officers will not need to trust their radios in the air searching for a signal after city council members approved an agreement with the town of Buckeye for new dispatch services this week.

And, Police Chief Steve Stahl pointed out, the $574,000 intergovernmental agreement will cost the city $164,000 less per year than it pays Pinal County for dispatch services.

Maricopa City Council approved the agreement Tuesday.

Currently, the county provides 12 dispatchers, or 911 operators, to service Maricopa 24/7, Stahl said. However, that service uses a VHF radio transmission that does not provide broad coverage.

“If you think about walkie-talkies there is a dispatch center in Florence and we are in Maricopa with mountains in between and there are a lot of dead spots,” Stahl told the council.

Holding one arm in the air, Stahl said officers sometimes hold their radios above their heads to pick up a signal.

He said Buckeye can provide the same service as the county with seven dispatchers and one supervisor.

Stahl said Buckeye belongs to Regional Wireless Cooperative, which provides improved radio coverage. Once the department switches over to the new system it should get coverage into the Ak-Chin and Gila River Indian communities “and even Phoenix if we are looking for suspect in the Valley.”