The Starke County Sheriff’s Office may get a new dispatch program to better suit the needs of the department.
Starke County IT Director Mark Gourley told the commissioners this week that the CAD program, or Computer Aided Dispatch, offered an update in August where some promised features weren’t a part of the update. He said he’s talking more with the vendor about that.
Gourley said he spoke further with Sheriff Bill Dulin and they agree that the level of non-service they get from the current vendor isn’t worth the thousands of dollars a year to maintain the program.
An alternative program is being researched for better service and better acquisition of information needed for specific reports and data for the application of grant funds. The entry system only allows initial text to be included and cannot be edited. For instance, if the dispatch center receives a medical call, but it turns out to be a heroin overdose case, that information in the initial call can’t be changed to include that status update. That type of data is imperative as the county continues to combat the drug problem. Those numbers can be compared to surrounding areas and delivered to agencies who grant funds to assist in drug eradication efforts.
Detective Adam Gray added that when he does his monthly reports, he has to go in and search for cases by hand which takes several hours.
A new program could cost upwards of $150,000, but Sheriff Dulin said it would allow the sheriff’s office to be more efficient and more accurate.
Gourley will be working more with Sheriff Dulin to research programs and costs to present to the commissioners in April.
