Owen County hires Deborah Simmons as incoming 9-1-1 director; dispatch staffing and state training requirements flagged
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Summary
Deborah Simmons, an experienced dispatcher who has worked in nearby counties, will start as Owen County's 9-1-1 director; commissioners and staff discussed dispatcher shortages, a new state statute requiring dispatcher training, and the ongoing radio system upgrade.
Commissioners introduced Deborah Simmons as the incoming 9-1-1 director; staff confirmed her start date as "the twentieth." County leaders said Simmons brings more than two decades of dispatch experience and previously worked in the county as a dispatcher earlier in her career.
Simmons and commissioners described a staffing shortage: the dispatch center is short three dispatchers and current personnel are carrying heavy workloads. Simmons said the office will pursue immediate recruitment and explore retention measures, including pay-scale adjustments for experienced dispatchers similar to prior changes made for deputies.
Meeting participants noted a state statute passed last year that imposes dispatcher training requirements. Staff said full compliance will be challenging while the center is short-staffed because on-the-job training typically requires experienced staff to be available while trainees are on console.
Commissioners and Simmons discussed possible near-term steps: create a senior dispatcher pay tier for candidates with experience (a proposal patterned on a matrix used earlier in the sheriff's office), set up supervisory assignments per shift, pursue targeted recruitment through professional contacts, and arrange shadowing opportunities with the state police lab and regional agencies for evidence-handling and technical training.
Simmons and staff also referenced the county radio project: hardware and a new tower are under construction and the system is being installed; staff said there was no further new update available at the meeting and that additional vendor coordination remains pending.
The county will assemble a small working group (including the council liaison and commissioners) to develop recruitment, a pay/retention proposal, and a training timeline that aligns with the new state statute. Simmons said she will meet with staff immediately after starting to outline priorities.
