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Eaton County dispatch to replace vehicle computers; local agencies add license‑plate readers
Summary
Eaton County 911 director Kelly Cunningham said the county will prioritize mobile computer terminal replacements for smaller police departments, and local agencies have deployed Flock automatic license‑plate readers with dispatch access for stolen vehicles and warrants.
Kelly Cunningham, Eaton County 911 director, told the public safety committee on Dec. 5 that the county is moving forward with a phased replacement of mobile computer terminals (MCTs) in law-enforcement vehicles and that smaller municipal departments will be prioritized while county financial details are finalized.
Cunningham described a communications plan the dispatch center created with the sheriff’s office for a recent multi-agency retail-fraud operation: "What that does is it assigns a talk group for them that is dedicated," she said, adding that a dispatcher was assigned to manage requests and units for the operation and that contingency steps were in place if the incident expanded.
Cunningham said Eaton Rapids and Charlotte police departments have gone live with Flock automatic license-plate readers (ALPRs); Eaton Rapids planned six cameras and Charlotte eight, although she said only four in each city were active at the time of her report. Cunningham said the ALPRs are paid for by the local jurisdictions and that Eaton County dispatch has access to hits for stolen vehicles, missing-person alerts and registered owners with warrants in NCIC. She described a recent hit that led to a stopped vehicle reported stolen out of another jurisdiction.
Cunningham also reviewed training and staffing: Telecommunicator Lane Powers completed a state-mandated 40-hour basic dispatch class and is scheduled for the 40-hour advanced class; dispatchers must also complete continuing education. She said supervisors and dispatchers met recently to set goals for 2025.
Ending paragraph: Cunningham said the MCT replacements will begin with smaller agencies (Charlotte, Eaton Rapids, Bellevue, Olivet, Grand Ledge) and that the sheriff's office units will be addressed once county finances are clearer.
