Platteville chief presents countywide dispatch consolidation study, outlines tradeoffs

Platteville’s police chief summarized a final feasibility study recommending further study of a countywide consolidation of emergency dispatch functions with Grant County, saying the report was intended as an objective look and not a response to underperformance.

The study, prepared by Matrix Consulting Group and presented to the Common Council, evaluated operational performance, staffing, technology and long‑term costs. The chief said the analysis found Platteville’s current dispatch operations “are meeting performance expectations” and in some measures exceed industry standards, but the consultants identified structural inefficiencies created by two separate centers serving the county.

One concrete finding: most wireless 911 calls currently route first to Grant County and are then transferred to Platteville, a process the consultants estimated can add about 10–15 seconds to call handling. The report also noted duplicated staffing, technology and training when two centers operate side by side.

On staffing, Platteville operates many shifts with a single dispatcher on duty; Grant County operates two dispatchers. The grant that funded the study requires implementing emergency medical dispatch within about 36 months, a change that would require a two‑person minimum in the dispatch center. The chief said Platteville now has five dispatch employees and that meeting the emergency‑dispatch requirement in‑place would likely require hiring five to seven additional people or pursuing consolidation.

The consultants modeled a range of operational scenarios. In an illustrative 10‑year scenario in which Platteville substantially reduces local dispatch operations, the report estimated approximately $4 million in cost savings to the city (roughly $400,000 annually). The chief warned that this “savings” assumes Platteville shuts down many local functions and does not account for migration costs such as records management system consolidation; migrating from the city’s current system (Talon) to the county’s (CentralSquare) was estimated in the presentation at roughly $90,000–$120,000 for the initial migration.

The study recommended Grant County as the most suitable single PSAP host because the sheriff’s office already maintains CAD, radio infrastructure and dispatch consoles. Under the recommended model, Grant County would handle primary emergency call‑taking and dispatch; Platteville could retain local administrative front‑desk and non‑emergency functions, and could be designated and equipped to act as a backup site.

The chief emphasized the decision is not imminent: the study does not ask for an immediate vote but seeks direction on whether to pursue consolidation steps. He said next steps would include negotiating governance arrangements (sheriff‑led governance with stakeholder input was one recommendation), securing grant funding to finance technology upgrades, and developing staff retention or transition incentives if consolidation is pursued.

Council members asked about county process and grants; the chief said the study would be reviewed at the county public safety committee the next day and at the full county board the following week. He and staff noted available funding sources include state innovation grants and Department of Military Affairs programs but cautioned that grant cycles and implementation timelines are uncertain. The council asked staff to return with scenario road maps and timing estimates.

The presentation left key policy questions open: how much local front‑desk and administrative coverage Platteville wants to maintain, whether Platteville would host a redundant backup site and how any county costs or savings would be apportioned through an intergovernmental agreement.