Dispatch receives much needed upgrades

After more than 10 years in the Stephens County Law Enforcement Center, the in-house dispatching service is getting a much needed upgrade. Thanks in part to a West Central Texas Council of Governments reimbursement, the department will be able to install new carpet and new custom-made office furniture, apply a fresh coat of paint and upgrade the office’s coffee bar.

During last week’s city of Breckenridge meeting, Bacel Cantrell, Breckenridge Chief of Police, spoke about the upcoming renovation of the dispatch office and why the upgrades are needed.

“We get several things in dispatch, if we buy an item for dispatch, it’s usually reimbursed through COG,” Cantrell said. “Everything in there is going to be 10+ years old. When we got all of that equipment, it was state-of-the-art. The desks come up and down, they blow air out on your ends, cooling and heating pads (...). And it worked great when we first got in there, but after 10 years we’ve outgrown it and (the equipment) needs to be replaced.”

Cantrell explained how everything from the desks to the chairs in the department are used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A major upgrade has not occurred since the LEC was originally opened in June 2010.

According to Morgan Taylor, Records Manager and Dispatch Supervisor for the Breckenridge Police Department, her office submitted their final application to WCTCOG for the reimbursement at the end of August. Taylor said that the organization will reimburse any expense having to do with 911, with the exception of chairs.

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