County, city announce agreement to consolidate 911 services

The Laclede County Commission and the Lebanon City Council are working on an agreement to consolidate the Lebanon Police Department’s Dispatch Center and Laclede County 911 Communications Center, the Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday. Currently, all 911 calls are answered by Laclede County 911-Communications, which transfers city-related calls to the Lebanon Police Department. This extra step can cause delays and confusion for citizens, often having to repeat information during emergencies after making a 911 call. A unified dispatch system will eliminate the need for the transfer between different communication centers. Laclede County Dispatch, which currently serves under the direction of the Sheriff, provides emergency dispatch to the sheriff’s office deputies, all rural fire agencies, and the Lebanon Fire Department. The agreement would place all dispatchers in the same building. The goal is to complete the transition to the new dispatch system by December 31. For more see Wednesday's LCR.