Mesa to centralize 911 call-taking and forensics under new Public Safety Support department

Mesa officials announced April 10 that the city will create a Mesa Public Safety Support department to centralize call-taking, forensics and several shared administrative functions for police and fire while leaving operational dispatching under each department's control.

Scott Butler, the city's assistant city manager, told the council the new organization grew out of a multi-year review of Mesa's 911 system and national best practices. "The city manager has named Kim Mesa to oversee what we have now labeled our Mesa Public Safety Support department," Butler said, describing the change as a move to reduce duplicative work across police and fire and to improve caller experience.

The new department will formally combine call-taking, forensic science, performance and quality assurance, hiring and training, purchasing and other administrative services. Kim Mesa, named to lead the effort, described the department's mission as supporting the activities of the agencies it serves: "A department that's mission is to support the activities of the…