Voters To Decide On New Emergency Dispatch System In November

Pierce County’s largest emergency communications and dispatch system could soon be disconnected and replaced.

That is, if voters allow it.

Lakewood officials say that the Law Enforcement Support Agency, established in 1974, is outdated and doesn't have enough capacity to meet the region’s growing demands. Pockets of Pierce County have turned into communication dead zones, and the current system likely won’t meet future standards by the federal government.

"Federal requirement changes are on the horizon and our system is not in position to meet those mandates," said Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz.

Many of LESA’s problems have produced a pattern of gradually slower response times, which a 2009 audit revealed.

But to replace the system, voters will have to approve a proposed sales-tax hike in November. The county is proposing an increase of one-tenth of 1 percent, or 1 cent on a $10 purchase.

If approved, the measure would help pay for a new center that, according to UP Mayor Debbie Klosowski, could meet LESA’s demand, and possibly other jurisdictions in the South Sound.

“Establishing an integrated system for dispatch, radio communication and data collection would hopefully be less expensive and more efficient when dealing with emergencies,” she wrote in a May 6 report.

There are a number of changes that a new dispatch center – dubbed “South Sound 911” — would bring:

- Two state-of-the-art Public Safety Answering Points instead of six. PSAPs are call centers that assist callers with emergencies for police, firefighter and ambulance services.

- A new, second emergency operations center that is able to back up the county EOS to serve Tacoma and other municipalities

- Upgraded, county-wide radio system to serve public safety needs in the future

LESA, formed via an inter-local agreement between Tacoma and Pierce County, provides emergency support to the state’s second-most populous county and serves cities such as University Place, Lakewood and Tacoma.

Lakewood is home to the dispatch center, which employs approximately 165 personnel in administration, communications, information technology and records management.

Neiditz said there would be a carefully planned transition to move from the current dispatch system to the new organization. Officials haven’t decided where to build a new center, the cost for which is estimated between $30 million and $40 million.

Lakewood, Tacoma and Pierce County would have to establish an agreement that determines how the taxes would be distributed. They would also have to create a new regional agency to oversee the new center.

All three local governments are scheduled to vote on an agreement this month.

But officials have expressed some concern over the proposed tax increase.

The Lakewood City Council appeared most concerned with proposing a tax increase on the November ballot, particularly as the local and national economy continues to struggle.

Councilman Michael Brandstetter said if the November measure failed, local governments should allow for another chance to obtain funding rather than risk losing an interlocal agreement.