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Patrol dispatch duties to be moved to Duluth
Staff Writer Within a few years, the Brainerd State Patrol's radio dispatch center is scheduled to close and all Brainerd area emergency 911 calls to the state will be handled by a regional office in Duluth.
Duluth, Rochester and Roseville have been named the State Patrol's regional Public Answering Safety Points, recommended by a work group appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
The regional call centers will replace local State Patrol dispatch centers in Brainerd, Detroit Lakes, Mankato, Marshall, St. Cloud, Thief River Falls and Virginia.
Brainerd State Patrol Lt. Amy Stanfield said though the regional sites have been named, the consolidation will take two to three years to complete.
The Brainerd State Patrol covers Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Morrison counties with six people in radio communications.
"Obviously there's a lot of mixed emotions involved with this, but it's a decision that was made by the command staff," Stanfield said Tuesday.
Lt. Matt Langer with the State Patrol in St. Paul said the goal of consolidating dispatch centers is to increase services to the public. He said people will still be able to get in touch with the district headquarters that are losing their dispatch centers and the move will not affect the number of troopers on the road.
"There will be more dispatchers on at any given time who will be able to allocate resources better," Langer said.
Langer described the plan as in its infancy, with nothing set in stone. He said the state still has the option to change regional sites or its plan altogether.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety reported the regionally shared Public Safety Answering Points have the potential to increase efficiency and enhance the reliability of the 911 system, which when properly implemented could result in reduced costs for participating public safety agencies.
While not directly related, Langer said the consolidation would coincide with the statewide switch to a 800 megahertz emergency radio system.
The state consolidation will not have an effect on county radio dispatch centers, which dispatch deputies, police, firefighters and other emergency responders.
"What goes to their office will probably just come here. The majority of the calls do now," said Ken Johnson, Crow Wing County Sheriff's 911 operations manager. "It's not good to see (State Patrol dispatch centers closing) but people don't have to worry about where their call is going. It will be taken care of."
MATT ERICKSON may be reached at matt.erickson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5857.
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