Crime & Safety

Transfer of Fanwood's Dispatch Operations Underway

There will not be any interruption in service, Union County and Fanwood police departments say.

Dispatch operations for Fanwood's police, fire and emergency medical services were transferred from the Fanwood Police Department to Union County's Police Headquarters on Wednesday morning.

At about 9 a.m., the borough and county were scheduled to begin the "cut-over," starting with the transfer of emergency 911 services from the Fanwood Police Department's front desk to the dispatch center located in the county police headquarters on North Avenue in Westfield. 

Preparations for the transfer began in May, and the transition is expected to be "seamless," Union County spokesperson Sebastian D'Elia said in an email. Dispatch, phone, 911 and emergency services will not be interrupted during the transfer, he said, which is expected to take "several hours." As a precaution, Fanwood personnel will remain at the Fanwood Police Department's dispatch center until Thursday.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fanwood entered the dispatch agreement with Union County in April as a cost-saving measure. Although the borough is reimbursing the county for the cost of extra personnel needed to oversee Fanwood's dispatch operations, the county estimated that Fanwood will save about $230,000 over the first three years.

For residents who call 911, the process will remain the same. The operator will still ask the nature of the emergency, then dispatch Fanwood police, fire or emergency medical units. The only difference will be where the operator picks up the phone.

Find out what's happening in Scotch Plains-Fanwoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Stay tuned to the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Patch for the full story on the transfer, as well as photos.

Editor's Note: I am a member of the Fanwood Rescue Squad.


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