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East Hampton Town begins handling 911 calls previously routed to village; mayor warns of costs
Summary
East Hampton Town on Jan. 26 began answering 911 calls from its Wainscott police headquarters, a transfer the town says will be seamless but East Hampton Village officials warn may raise costs and staffing concerns. Suffolk County software changes could restore village-only routing in future.
East Hampton Town took over primary 911 dispatching for parts of the village on Jan. 26, moving the responsibility to the town’s 911 center at police headquarters in Wainscott after roughly four decades of village-based handling.
In a statement quoted by LTV, Supervisor Kathy Burke Gonzalez said the transition was "smooth," adding, "when someone calls 911, they are counting on us in a moment that feels overwhelming. Residents will notice no difference when they call 911. A trained dispatcher will be answering and help will be sent right away." The broadcast reported the changeover was delayed about two weeks before taking effect.
East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larson described the process as "long and flawed," telling EastEnd News he expects the town to spend money rather than save it and that the switch will affect the village’s bottom line and staffing. The report said Larson anticipates Suffolk County will offer software to distinguish calls from cell phones and landlines, which could allow the village to again handle calls generated from inside its borders once that capability is available.
The LTV item also noted that, starting Sunday, Feb. 1, East Hampton Town will begin answering fire and EMS calls for Sag Harbor village and the Springs Fire District. LTV reported that the town and village had communicated about the change and that the town framed the goal as minimizing interruption for residents.
No formal vote or ordinance was reported on air; the story relayed statements from local officials and noted staffing and software dependencies going forward.
