The answer to how Pierce County’s new 911 system is working out depends on who’s asked.
Some emergency dispatchers and law enforcement officers say the new computer system — which, according to South Sound 911, is supposed to make it easier for agencies to work together — is in some cases making their jobs harder.
Administrators of South Sound 911 say the more than $5 million upgrade has important new features and that users need to give it time.
“Part of what we need to do is be open-minded about new ways of doing things,” agency director Andrew Neiditz said. “What we’ve come from was pretty unacceptable.”
South Sound 911 — which dispatches for the 41 fire and law enforcement agencies in the county — rolled out its new computer-aided dispatch system in October for law enforcement. Fire agencies are expected to get it in the spring.
There will be more than 2,500 public safety employees using the new system after March, said Rob Oesch, South Sound 911’s assistant director for information services.
Part of why fire agencies aren’t switching until March is that South Sound 911 needed more time to configure the dispatch system to work for firefighters and fire dispatchers.
“Frankly, we’re not ready,” Oesch said. “We needed to buy some more time to make sure their core functionality was in place.”