Inverness joins 911 dispatch system

With less than a year to have their own police department up and running, Inverness trustees have decided to join the Northwest Central Dispatch System for 911 dispatch service.

The village had first approached Barrington for dispatch services, but that village said it couldn't accommodate Inverness.

Inverness is starting its own police department after deciding in January to sever its longtime ties with the Barrington Police Department. Inverness has contracted for police service from Barrington since the 1970s, but its current -- and final -- contact expires at the end of April 2009.

Inverness Village President Jack Tatooles said that by joining Northwest Central Dispatch, the village will use the same dispatch service for both its police and fire departments. Northwest Central also handles Palatine Rural Fire Protection District calls.

"It gives you that interoperability," he said.

Before agreeing on Northwest Central Dispatch, Inverness asked Barrington about joining its Barrington Area Radio Network.

Barrington Police Chief Jeff Lawler said that if Inverness was added to their network, it would eliminate their ability to be on the same frequency as Barrington High School and both Barrington middle schools.

He said it is critical for Barrington police to be able to communicate with the schools in an emergency.

Barrington Trustee Paul Hunt said he felt comfortable turning down Inverness knowing it had other choices for emergency radio services.

Tatooles, meanwhile, said the village's consultant, J.D. Bratcher & Associates, has a "lot of applicants" as it searches for Inverness' first police chief.

The search is expected to be done no later than September, although, "I think we may try and accelerate that a little bit," Tatooles said.

He added there is a lot of interest from potential police officers. The department will have 10 to 12 sworn officers.

"It is very gratifying," Tatooles said. "This is a good community and a good community to work in."

Overall, he said the process of creating the department has been very exciting.

"It is a lot of fun when you build something from the ground up," he said.

In January, when Inverness rejected Barrington's offer to continue providing police service for the next five years for $10.1 million, trustees said it had nothing to do with the level of service Barrington was providing.

Instead, it was about cost, Tatooles said.

A consultant's study concluded it would cost $1.3 million less over five years for the village to start its own department.