Emergency officials like 911 change

Sisters emergency officials are hailing Deschutes County's takeover of the supervision of 911 services as a step in the right direction for the troubled agency.

Starting January 1, the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners will assume direct management of the 911 service district; the user board, composed of the emergency agencies served by the 911 district, will act as an advisory board to the commissioners.

The City of Bend has threatened legal action to challenge the county's move.

And the 911 district's troubles continued Monday as 911 Director Cal Krosch announced his resignation effective January 1.

Krosch's letter of resignation stated that Krosch was "disturbed... by recent attempts by a few to attribute to me decisions which have contributed to the difficulties experienced by this agency... For the record, all of the decisions and actions which have led to the problems... were made prior to my January 3, 1995 hiring.

"I have devoted 30 years to a distinguished career in law enforcement and have earned a reputation for honesty, integrity and high ethical behavior. I will not see that tarnished."

The problems faced by the district revolve around how the district's funds were spent.

Deschutes County Administrator Mike Maier told The Nugget that some users were putting their own interests over the needs of the entire district. Maier said that the City of Bend wanted to continue to invest in the creation of a computerized record storage system -- a system that has never been satisfactorily completed -- while other users wanted to halt those expenditures and use the district's funds to improve the quality of dispatch provided by 911.

Maier that the county was not happy with the way 911 was operating under the supervision of the 18-member user board and a recent reorganization under a seven-member executive board.

"The county's feeling is that that hasn't produced satisfactory results," Maier said.

Sisters Police Chief Dave Haynes and Fire Chief Don Mouser hope that the changes in the agencies management will improve the quality of dispatch.

"Quality dispatch for public safety is my first priority in regard to 911," Haynes said. The police chief said he hopes that the management change means that improving dispatch will become the 911 district's top priority.

Dispatch is especially crucial to small police departments like Sisters, Haynes said, because officers often work alone and rely on 911 to dispatch backup units when an officer requests them.

Haynes said that dispatch is the primary mission of 911; additional services such as computerized records systems and computer aided dispatch can be added when the foundation of quality dispatch is firmly established.

"You can't build a house from the roof down," he said.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District Chief Don Mouser agreed.

"We're talking about peoples lives and property out there," Mouser said. "People want to know that when they make that call it's going to be handled properly and efficiently."

Deschutes County Commissioner Nancy Schlangen stressed that the district's problems are financial and that the public need not worry that their emergency services are lacking.

"Dispatch is working," Schlangen said. "It's working well. The whole issue is over records and 911 doesn't have the money to have the record system they want."

Chief Mouser said that the 911 service district needs get its financial situation straightened out and its funding prioroties established. He believes the management change will accomplish those goals.

"I certainly think it will work," Mouser said.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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