Sparta to provide dispatching to Byram and Stanhope

SPARTA — In order to benefit technologically and piggyback onto a $200,000 grant given to Sparta Police Department for consolidation and tech upgrades, Byram Township and Stanhope Borough will be transitioning their emergency dispatching services to Sparta Township officially on Jan. 1. This will add two more municipalities to the Sparta roster which also provides for Franklin, Lafayette, Ogdensburg and Stillwater. Sparta is currently one of six dispatch centers in Sussex County. The others are Andover Township, Hardyston, Hopatcong Borough, Newton, and Vernon. The transition has been gradual, starting with the shifting of records, and the switching of radio communications, and leading up to coordination with the phone companies to reroute 9-1-1 calls. “It’s not like flipping a switch,” said Sparta Police Chief Ernest Reigstad. “There’s a tremendous amount of behind the scenes work,” said Lieutenant Mark Rozek. Rozek oversees Sparta Police Department’s dispatching equipment. Hopatcong Borough had been the service provider for Byram and Stanhope. At the end of 2008, Byram Township Manager Joe Sabatini questioned a 5 percent increase in the 2009 Radio Communication Services Contract with Hopatcong because Byram had a 13 percent increase in 2008. In early 2009, Byram learned Hopatcong would be moving to Sparta for dispatching services and in turn, they would need to move with them or find another provider. Reigstad said Hopatcong decided later not to join them. Hopatcong Borough officials did not respond to request for comments for this story. In the meantime, both Byram and Stanhope needed to contract for dispatching services. Reigstad said both towns approached Sparta. Byram’s Police Chief Raymond Rafferty said, “Sparta filled the need we had with reception.” Stanhope Borough’s Administrator Richard Stewart agreed, “We did checks with Sparta’s three towers and said there were no dead areas in town.” Both said the grant, which will allow Sparta to align their dispatch center with proper equipment for a possible consolidated enhanced “Next-Gen” 9-1-1, helped in their decision-making process. Sparta currently has two full-time dispatchers per shift, and will add a third part-time position. The grant has permitted Sparta to increase their equipment. A dispatcher’s work area consists of a multitude of different computer screens, which, among tasks, allows them to simultaneously handle 9-1-1 calls, operate CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) programs, monitor building security, and communicate with patrol cars. Byram’s and Stanhope’s contracts with Sparta will last for three years, and according to Reigstad, they will pay Sparta the same price as they were paying to Hopatcong. Rozek oversees the technical work and is assisted by employees Corporal Andrew Smetana and John Liguori. Rozek said each has a specialty and are on call 24-7 should the need arise. Both Rozek and Reigstad said the team helps to keep costs down and expedite repairs, which may require a longer wait time if performed by a vendor. Municipalities will be responsible for their own equipment maintenance and costs, but can call on the services of Sparta’s in-house team if a vendor is not available. Should there be a county changeover to a consolidated 9-1-1 system while the contracts are in effect, the contracts will be dissolved. According to County Administrator John Eskilson, a report on a consolidated 9-1-1 system is due in a couple of weeks. “The County’s 9-1-1 Working Group, which consists of representatives from police, fire, first aid, emergency management and municipal management reached unanimous consensus that the county should proceed, subject to ... the report, with the consolidation of six municipal 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) into a single County 9-1-1 PSAP,” Eskilson said. Byram’s Chief Rafferty said he is in favor of a consolidated 9-1-1 system and Reigstad thinks “there is a very strong possibility of a county 9-1-1.” Although the municipalities have been gearing up for it, Eskilson said Byram’s and Stanhope’s moves to Sparta are not related to the county’s consolidation study. He then added, “Unfortunately the net savings to Byram and Stanhope and increased revenue to Sparta will result in a substantial revenue loss to the Borough of Hopatcong (approximately $260K). A single consolidated system would provide a more stable and predictable environment financially.”