At the Richmond Heights Police Department “Walk and Talk” Wednesday evening in a Richmond Heights neighborhood, the Richmond Heights officers said that since Brentwood and Rock Hill joined East Central Dispatch (ECDC) on June 1 Brentwood police portable radios haven’t had good reception with ECDC in all parts of Brentwood.
One said that the environment, such as trees and buildings can interfere with radio reception, which is why equipment is upgraded occasionally. They said it is improving.
Brentwood Chief of Police Dan Fitzgerald said in an email that “we are working with ECDC to correct problems.”
See also: County Executive to recommend grant for Brentwood joining ECDC, Former Brentwood dispatchers get severance, as city transfers to ECDC, Brentwood BOA approves dispatching move to ECDC
The Richmond Heights officers also said that at first, the dispatchers who were hired from Brentwood dispatch weren’t always using the Brentwood officers’ DSN (the officer’s dispatch number), using their name instead. Also the Brentwood officers weren’t used to being called by their DSN.
They said this caused confusion at first but is also improving.
Trees and buildings can interfere with radio reception? So does that mean they can’t hear one another? Isnt that dangerous in a police officers line of work!? How was it determined that east central was going to be superior to keeping our own dispatch center in Brentwood. So you have the fire dept being sent to the callers address rather than the location of the actual fire he was calling about and the police dept is having radio reception problems due to trees and buildings? Its July 6, didnt east central start on June 1? So they have been “working” on it for over a month now? This seems unvelievable to me. Something is terribly wrong here! The alderman meet behind closed doors with these east central folks and then decide to get rid of our entire dispatch center and not because of money issues, according to the Mayor but for “safety” reasons. HOW IN THE FLIPPIN WORLD IS THIS SAFER!!!!!
Mr. Brandon Jones, I really hope you run for office and Mr. Pat Kelley, I really hope you DON’T because this smells of your stench!
The closed sessions for this negotiation followed three failed** public attempts to secure a Brentwood.. AND IT WAS THE MAYOR and his “yez massa” cronies who voted for this informational blockade. Not all the BOA agreed–but were quelled in voting. Pat needs to resign, and let the BOA elect a new mayor to finish out his term. **YES it does indeed put our FR’s at a greater risk. THEY are the ones who stand up for our persons, propperities and well-being of our City.
line two correction: :”Brentwood contract”
Never should have happened with the ECDC. Our policy should be ‘stay at home’ .. in Brentwood. This policy should have been put to a vote…oh . oops the Board speaks for us .. the citizens…no it does not .. they speak for themselves….it sickens me.
MiMi, love your post–THIS WAS THE MAYOR**—-members of the BOA (not all) did NOT want this, because they knew the residents did NOT want this. The same thing happened with BHGH, when the MAYOR embarrassed himself by promising what the people DID NOT WANT and the residents were finally informed. That was another MAJOR ‘under the table’ deal by Pat Kelly. No. No. and No. Mayoral rights do NOT trump Resident’s rights. Residents know far better what they want in our City than the “under-the-table’ Mayor. I believe Pat should step down and the BOA could elect an interim Mayor, like alderman Tom Kramer to finish out his term. **The mayor was offered $223,000 by Charlie Dooley to move to ECDC. First that is a direct conflict of interest, and second–it put Brentwood on a faster track to a despicable merger with the City–St. Louis City is broke because of this and now we are moving closer to take up their losses. Anyway, thank you MiMi
The tragic misinformation by ECDC to FR’s was on the nightly news, at the same time Mayor Pat Kelly was in closed door negotiations, and after the public had bucked the ECDC outsourcing on three previous occasions. I think WAY to highly of our FR’s to not comment on the potentials for dangers of ongoing emergency ‘communications’ problems with ECDC. I would love to see this litigated for failure to perform per contract, the contract voided, and ECDC pay for returning our in-house dispatchers. FR’s are always at risk in an ever increasing environment of violence and crime. So Mayor Pat Kelly, what are YOU going to do? The ECDC autocratic decision falls squarely at your feet. You would not put your own family at risk like this, so why do it to FR’s and Citizens of Brentwood?
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