Rolling Meadows debates joining police dispatch

If Rolling Meadows joins Northwest Central Dispatch on May 1, it would save the city $1.8 million during the next three years. If the city's police department doesn't get a good chunk of that money, seven crossing guards will be laid off.

After discussing joining Northwest dispatch for more than two hours on Tuesday, the council decided not to talk about the crossing guards in open session even though police staffing was included with the open session topics on the meeting agenda.

"I'd rather we talk about individual positions in closed session," said Mayor Ken Nelson before moving on new refuse regulations.

However a city memo posted on Rolling Meadow's official Web site did describe three upcoming police staffing options. According to the memo, if the city joins the central dispatch system, it will save $575,000 in 2009 and more than $1 million in 2010.

"The police department is requesting that the first year savings be transferred into the police department's operating budget to keep core services, the associated employees and to staff a 24-hour police desk to handle nonemergency services," according to the memo.

If the police department doesn't get the money or if the city doesn't join the central dispatch center, seven part-time crossing guards will be let go, the memo states. The crossing guards earn between $6,600 and $12,300 annually.

Northwest Central Dispatch is a cooperative dispatch service based in Arlington Heights that has served northwest Cook County and parts of DuPage and Lake counties since 1972. The system already serves Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Elk Grove, Hoffman Estates, Mount Prospect, Palatine, Prospect Heights, Schaumburg, Streamwood and Inverness.

The city's dispatch center has 15 employees - eight full-time dispatchers, two supervisors and five part-time dispatchers. Northwest Central said they would hire up to six Rolling Meadows dispatchers

Police Chief Steve Williams is in favor of joining the system despite the layoffs.

"For the past 11 years I have not been a proponent of joining Northwest Central Dispatch, but today it makes sense," he said. "I can't ignore saving $1.8 million over the next three years especially in today's economic conditions."

If Rolling Meadows does join Northwest Central, it wouldn't affect the city's nonemergency calls. Even residents calling 911 probably won't notice the switch, Williams said.

Alderman Larry Buske was one of the few city aldermen not sold on the idea.

"I feel uncomfortable with the lack of control," he said. "I don't like that the chief can't walk into a room next to his office and say 'I want this done.'"

The city council will vote to officially start negotiations with Northwest Central on Jan. 27.