Whiteside County opens centralized dispatch center in Morrison

Whiteside County has officially opened its long-planned centralized 911 dispatch center, bringing all emergency dispatch services under one roof for the first time in the county’s history.

The new center, housed at the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office in Morrison, began operations July 7. The consolidation marks the culmination of years of planning and cross-agency collaboration aimed at improving public safety countywide, Whiteside County Sheriff John Booker said.

Previously, dispatch operations were split between centers in Sterling and Morrison, each covering half of the county. If a 911 call came in and emergency services were needed in an area that the center did not cover, the caller had to be transferred to the other center, potentially delaying response times. Now, dispatchers handle all emergency calls from a single, centralized location.

“This is a proud day for Whiteside County,” Booker said in a news release. “Bringing all dispatch operations together into one central hub at the sheriff’s office will better serve our citizens and our first responders. I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to make this happen – our staff, local officials and our dedicated community members who supported this effort.”

The new dispatch center was funded by a 0.5% public safety sales tax approved by Whiteside County voters in November. The sales tax adds an additional 50 cents for every $100 that shoppers spend on general merchandise in Whiteside County, and does not apply to groceries or items that must be titled or registered by a state agency.

That money will be used to fund dispatch services in Whiteside County, which County Administrator Amy Robbins has said cost $1.8 million annually to operate.

The centralized center is now responsible for dispatching police, fire and emergency medical service units for 20 public safety agencies across the county. The transition is expected to increase efficiency and provide a more uniform service throughout the region.

“I want to say thank you again to the people of Whiteside County,” Booker said. “Your support of the public safety tax made this possible. You have invested in your safety and the safety of our first responders, and we are grateful. I also want to give a special thank you to all of my employees. Your hard work, flexibility and dedication have made this transition a success, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished together.”