Tri-City Dispatch Center Begins Operating In Town and Country Monday

UPDATE: Monday 3:00 p.m.-

According to West Central Dispatch Center General Manager Robert Heimberger, the transition from three dispatch centers to one is taking place without any issues Monday. Heimberger said Town and Country radio and phone lines were switched over first with no problems, Creve Coeur followed and Frontenac would be the last the switch over Monday to the new system out of the WCDC.

Monday, Crever Coeur and Frontenac still had dispatchers at their police stations during the transition, but Heimberger said by Tuesday morning, dispatchers from all three cities will work out of the new tri-city dispatch center in Town and Country.

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It happened one week later than originally planned, but the new West Central Dispatch Center housing Town and Country, Creve Coeur and Frontenac police dispatchers began operating out of the Monday. It will be commonly referred to as the WCDC.

Robert Heimberger, the center's general manager, tells Patch that the delay was due to the transferring of phone lines, something that must still be done on the center's first day. Phone lines from each of the three police departments must be brought online at the new facility ,and that is being done in phases throughout Monday. Each police department's radio system is being redirected to the new center, so dispatchers are still handling calls from their respective dispatch centers until everything is carried over.

The center has 16 dispatchers total, 12 full-time employees and four part-time employees. Heimberger said all but two of the 12 full timers come the Town and Country, Frontenac or Creve Coeur police dispatch centers. All had to reapply to be employees for WCDC.  All of the part-time employees worked as dispatchers for one of the three police departments.

The new dispatch center telephone number for non-emergency calls is 314-737-4600. This dispatch number should be used for the following circumstances:

• To request non-emergency police services
• To report a crime or incident that is NOT “in progress” or “just occurred”
• To report an incident in which there is not an imminent threat to life or property

Once everything is switched over the telephone number above, the Town and Country Dispatch number of 636-432-1000 will no longer be operational. 

Residents should still dial 911 for police, fire and ambulances during emergencies. 

For business calls, 314-432-4696 is the main telephone number for general inquiries such as requesting police reports, vacation checks, or to speak to administrative staff. 

Visit www.town-and-country.org for addional info.

The decision to combine the three cities dispatch centers came in an effort to save the three cities and police departments money. A grant from the E-911 Commission was put toward the renovation and expansion of the existing communications center at the Town and Country Municipal Center, according to a press release. The E-911 Commission oversees the implementation of the St. Louis County tax initiative passed by the voters in 2009. City leaders decided that by combining the three seperate dispatch centers into one, the monies received through Proposition E-911 will go much further.

Robert J. Heimberger is the WCDC's General Manager. He was hired for the position in February and is a 27-year veteran of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department who and has lived in the St. Louis area his entire life. 

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