Pulaski County approves Total Response dispatch system for sheriff; to be paid from 911 fund
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Summary
Pulaski County commissioners voted to buy the Total Response dispatch system for the sheriff’s office, funding the purchase from the county 911 fund and committing to annual maintenance fees. County dispatch staff said the system will add QA tools, training and CAD integration.
Pulaski County commissioners voted to approve the purchase and implementation of the Total Response dispatch system for the sheriff’s office, with one-time and recurring costs to come from the county’s 911 fund.
The system was presented by Sheriff Chris and by Laura McIntosh, assistant 9‑1‑1 director, together with Zach, a representative of Total Response. McIntosh said the county’s 9‑1‑1 fund can sustain the ongoing maintenance cost: “We pull in about $11,000 a month on [the 9‑1‑1] fund … the recurrent fee, we can more than sustain that,” she said. Zach described key features including a QA (quality assurance) module, supervisor functions and CAD integration that will push scripted guidance and updates to first responders in real time.
Why it matters: county dispatchers said the software will standardize call handling, provide real‑time supervisor oversight and supply free online training modules that can help dispatchers meet annual training requirements. Laura McIntosh said the program includes online courses covering medical, active‑shooter and suicidal‑caller protocols and that most full‑time dispatchers already hold state certifications the program supports.
Details and costs: speakers described the purchase as having an upfront charge that includes the first‑year support fee and additional costs to equip three consoles. In the meeting, Sheriff Chris said a $6,000 amount covers adding two additional consoles and that an annual renewal fee would be about $75.89; later in discussion an upfront figure of about $44,599 was referenced as including the first‑year fee. Zach said Total Response sends an on‑site implementation manager and provides up to three days of end‑user training.
Formal action: Commissioner [name not specified] moved to implement the Total Response plan on behalf of the commissioners; the motion received a second and carried on a voice vote. A county official noted the purchase will be advertised as required before finalization.
Implementation: vendors will schedule on‑site installation and user training after the procurement steps and advertising are complete, officials said. McIntosh and the sheriff said the department will cover recurring costs from existing 9‑1‑1 fund balances.
