City reports progress on local 911 dispatch center; DOJ sign-off and hiring remain next steps

City staff reported Feb. 4 that the new dispatch center has integrated the NGA 911 component and installed servers, giving the facility the capability to receive 911 calls; however, staff said the center still awaits final sign-off from the state Department of Justice for the clutch line that will permit data transfer and records migration.

A staff presenter said the department has begun recruiting and backgrounding dispatch staff, noting one internal records technician (Nichols) cleared background and will be among the first dispatchers. At the time of the report, three full-time dispatch applicants and three reserve dispatchers were in background checks. The city said it would post lead-dispatcher positions and that training (a dispatcher academy) typically takes four to six months; if backgrounds and training progress on schedule, staff expect the center to be able to go live near the start of the next fiscal year.

The city also told council that, if the local dispatch center comes online, the city should not need to pay the roughly $820,000 budgeted in the coming year for Hanford and county IT dispatch services for that continued period. The presenter said DOJ review was the final outstanding item and staff had answered DOJ questions and re-submitted materials.

Council members asked about training locations, timelines and staffing contingencies. Staff said Fresno offers dispatcher academies locally and that hiring, backgrounds and staggered academy schedules will determine exactly when full operations begin. No formal council action was requested; the item was an informational update.