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Commission approves temporary dispatch support from Moriarty police, defers internal staffing change
Summary
Facing chronic understaffing, Torrance County approved an MOU with Moriarty Police to provide overtime dispatch coverage while deferring a decision on creating a Deputy Director post pending more analysis of costs and recruitment results.
Torrance County's 911 Dispatch Director, Selena Carroll, told the board that chronic vacancies leave supervisors covering dispatcher duties and reduce capacity for recruitment and administrative work. Carroll described two short-term remedies: recruiting a Deputy Director at a higher wage to build continuity, or budgeting administrative support to free the director for recruitment. "If something were to happen to me, the other person can just take over seamlessly," Carroll said when describing the Deputy Director role.
Commissioners debated costs and near-term options. Vice Chairman Kevin McCall and Chair Ryan Schwebach urged waiting to see whether recently approved pay increases for dispatchers produce applicants; Commissioner Samuel Schropp pushed for structural change that would make the department more attractive to experienced hires. As an immediate stopgap, the board unanimously approved an MOU with the Moriarty Police Department for officers to provide dispatch assistance invoiced as overtime. Chair Schwebach requested regular brief reports on MOU usage and recruitment progress at subsequent meetings.
