OFFICE OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

In 2006 the Atlantic County Office of Emergency Preparedness was able to secure a grant from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Telecommunications (OETS) to study the effectiveness of existing Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP’s) in Atlantic County, and to see if there is significant reason to pursue consolidation of said PSAP’s.

Atlantic County contracted with L. Robert Kimball and Associates to conduct an analysis of the current PSAP and dispatch centers, to determine and outline various options for the consolidation of 9-1-1 services countywide.

Stakeholders Meetings where held for the following agencies:

Individual PSAP Interviews took place January 29-31, 2007.

S-45 State Legislation

Governor Corzine has signed into law S-45 that is part of the shared services legislative package and implements recommendation 12 of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Consolidation and Shared Services concerning the statewide enhanced 9-1-1 system.

Under the new law's provisions, the State Plan for the enhanced 9-1-1 system is to require the consolidation of Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) consistent with revisions in the plan to upgrade the enhanced 9-1-1 system. The new law, P.L.2007, c.56, further provides that the Office of Emergency Technology Services is to condition the allocation of moneys dedicated for the operation of PSAP's on the merging and sharing of PSAP functions by municipalities, counties and the State Police. In addition, the State Treasurer may establish, by regulation, a 9-1-1 call volume minimum that may be utilized as a factor in determining which PSAP functions are to be consolidated under the State Plan. P.L.2007, c.56 further provides that the State Plan must limit the use of sworn law enforcement officers to provide dispatch services. In addition, the Office of Information Technology must condition the receipt of moneys dedicated for the operation of PSAP's on the limited use of sworn law enforcement officers, except for officers returning to active duty from an injury or other physical disability.

The Office of Legislative Services has stated that this measure does not explicitly stipulate the extent of the consolidation or the criteria that would trigger mandatory mergers. Any consolidation, however, is likely to generate one-time transition costs to state, county and municipal governments. P.L.2007, c.56 takes effect on the first day of the fourth month after enactment, June 1, 2007. 

Link to State Legislation S-45  http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp

QUESTIONS:  For more questions or more information email emer_mgmt@aclink.org.