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Trustees reject county dispatch proposal after heated debate over local policing
Summary
The Village of Romeo Board of Trustees declined to invite the Mcome County Sheriff to present on a county dispatch option, after residents and the police chief argued local dispatch and police services are central to community safety. The motion failed 1–6; trustees approved other routine items.
The Village of Romeo Board of Trustees voted down a motion May 19 to invite Mcome County to present its dispatch system, after a lengthy and sometimes heated discussion about outsourcing components of the village’s public safety operations.
Trustee Fowler moved to invite the county to present on its dispatch capabilities; the motion carried only with Fowler’s vote. The roll call recorded: Carrie, no; Bartholomew, no; Parker, no; Rosa, no; Edwards, no; Fowler, yes; President Posnansky, no. The motion failed.
Chief Roy, speaking for the police department, characterized Romeo’s dispatch function as integral to local operations, saying, “The telecommunications unit dispatch is the brain of every police department” and warning that externalizing dispatch would break a critical local link. The chief described dispatchers as multitaskers who handle records, foyer duties and local knowledge that “you know their name” and that is reassuring during critical incidents.
Residents who spoke during the public comment period echoed the chief’s view. Kevin Voss, who said he was treated by first responders after a serious home injury, told the board the local response was decisive: “those guys were phenomenal,” he said, describing a rapid police and fire response that he credited with saving his life.
Supporters of keeping local services also cited response times and familiarity with local streets and residents. Letters read into the record by Clerk Lucero included one from Debbie Martone urging the board to retain the Romeo Police Department and to consider a police millage if needed; another from Todd Troboich warned that contracting with the county could reduce local engagement and increase costs over time.
Trustees who opposed the motion said the village has invested in new systems — including the recently installed Clemus records platform — and that switching dispatch or outsourcing could require additional purchases to integrate with county systems. One trustee warned that the village had already invested in upgrades and that consolidating dispatch now would be inefficient.
The discussion followed earlier correspondence dating to 2023 in which county officials said they would provide a presentation if the board showed willingness to consider moving dispatch. Board members who wanted the presentation argued a fact-finding session would be harmless; opponents said the presentation would re-open a divisive debate and could unsettle staff and residents.
The board took no further formal action on dispatch beyond the failed motion. It moved on to other agenda items including routine vendor approvals and grant and development updates.
