911 Board Says DPS Wants To Privatize Vermont’s Entire Emergency Response System
VSEA members and many in the law enforcement community were caught by surprise this week when the Vermont Emergency 911 Board issued a press release on April 4 that began:
“The Vermont Enhanced 9-1-1 Board has been notified by Commissioner Keith Flynn that the Department of Public Safety will not be continuing to participate in the statewide 9-1-1 call taking system. The Commissioner indicated that the two Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) operated by the Department will cease taking 9-1-1 calls, tentatively on July 1, 2017.”
The two Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) the 911 Board is referring to are located in Williston and Rockingham, and they are staffed by VSEA members. Almost a year ago—against strong public opposition—the State went ahead and closed Vermont’s only two other State-owned PSAPs in Rutland and Derby.
The State took issue and wasted little time firing back at the Board in its own April 4 press release that read, in part:
“A press release from the E-911 Board stating that the Department of Public Safety ‘will not be continuing to participate in the statewide 911 call taking system’ is false. No decision has been made surrounding the participation of the Department of Public Safety in the statewide 9-1-1 call taking system. The attempt to misled the media and public is completely outrageous and under-handed.”
The State’s release just served to pour gasoline on the fire, as the 911 Board shot right back in another press release later in the day that included emails that seem to confirm the Board’s allegations, one from a DPS official to the Board on March 23 that reads, in part:
Hi Gary [Taylor, St. Albans Public Safety Director],
Your meeting notes accurately convey what I heard in the meeting as well. DPS would like to be out of the 911 call-taking business. I know you did ask for a formal letter and that would have to come from the Commissioner. I also know that any such endeavor would take time to plan and while not meant as a date certain, for discussion sake (only) we tossed out a date of July 1, 2017. I’m sure both DPS and E911 will need to discuss this further and we are ready to do so.
Joe [Flynn, DPS Deputy Commissioner]
As the representative for dozens of dispatchers working in Williston and Rockingham, VSEA was quick to jump into the fray to defend this critical service, issuing its own release on April 4 that reads, in part:
“VSEA and our members working at these PSAPs intend to fight any ill-advised privatization scheme with the same vigor as we did last year; hopefully with a different result this time around,” says VSEA President Dave Bellini. “The Board’s announcement did not provide any detail about what DPS’ plan is or what the costs are associated with it, so we don’t know much yet. We’ll be working with our PSAP members in the coming weeks to learn whatever details there are about this privatization effort, and what its safety and financial impact could be for Vermonters and our towns and communities. If forced to, VSEA will once again stress that these dispatchers are Vermonters serving Vermonters. They know their regions and personnel, and when it comes to issues of public safety, this is very important.”
Read the Full VSEA Release
VTDigger Story
Update:
On April 5, the State and the 911 Board issued a joint statement that contained the following:
“We want the public to know we are committed to working together to resolve any lingering budgetary or policy differences. Most importantly, everyone should know that regardless of any disagreements on policy, when you dial 911 you will have a dedicated state or local official on the other end of the line ready to respond. That is what we have today and we are committed to ensuring that continues to be the case going forward.”
“What’s missing from this damage-control statement is a position on whether or not the Williston and Rockingham PSAPs will remain State-operated or not,” says VSEA Communications Director Doug Gibson. “For that reason, President Bellini is correct about VSEA not taking any chances. The union will be moving forward, hopefully again with many in the law enforcement community, to begin strategizing about how to defeat this wrongheaded, privatization scheme.” |
Stay Connected:
