Regional Emergency Dispatch Plans Could Conflict with East Pierce Systems

Pierce County’s largest emergency communications and dispatch system could soon be disconnected and replaced. The streamlined process could present problems for East Pierce, which already has created its own solution to the county-wide problem.

That is, if voters allow it.

Lakewood officials say that the Law Enforcement Support Agency (LESA), established in 1974, is outdated and doesn't have enough capacity to meet the region’s growing demands. Pockets of Pierce County have turned into communication dead zones, and the current system likely won’t meet future standards by the federal government.

To mitigate the need for resources Tacoma and Lakewood can't produce, East Pierce developed it's own region-wide system, when Bonney Lake and Sumner 911 dispatch centers merged with Puyallup.

Patch took a tour of the dispatch center, you can read that article .

Many of LESA’s problems have produced a pattern of gradually slower response times, which a 2009 audit revealed.

"Federal requirement changes are on the horizon and our system is not in position to meet those mandates," said Lakewood City Manager Andrew Neiditz.

But to replace the system, voters will have to approve a proposed sales-tax hike in November. The county is proposing an increase of one-tenth of 1 percent, or 1 cent on a $10 purchase.

If approved, the measure would help pay for a new center that could meet LESA’s demand in jurisdictions throughout the South Sound.

Bonney Lake City Administrator Don Morrison sent Patch an official statement on the city's stance against the ballot measure, you can read that .

, City Administrator Diane Supler said the council has not officially discussed the possibility of switching systems, nor does the city have an official stance on the ballot measure.

"The City of Sumner would prefer that there be alternatives so that the cost of service can remain competitive and reasonable for our citizens," said Supler.

There are a number of changes that a new dispatch center – dubbed “South Sound 911” — would bring:

• Two state-of-the-art Public Safety Answering Points instead of six. PSAPs are call centers that assist callers with emergencies for police, firefighter and ambulance services.
• A new, second emergency operations center that is able to back up the county EOS to serve Tacoma and other municipalities
• Upgraded, county-wide radio system to serve public safety needs in the future

LESA, formed via an inter-local agreement between Tacoma and Pierce County, provides emergency support to the state’s second-most populous county and serves cities such as University Place, Lakewood and Tacoma.

Lakewood is home to the dispatch center, which employs approximately 165 personnel in administration, communications, information technology and records management.

Neiditz said there would be a carefully planned transition to move from the current dispatch system to the new organization. Officials haven’t decided where to build a new center, the cost for which is estimated between $30 million and $40 million.

Lakewood, Tacoma and Pierce County would have to establish an agreement that determines how the taxes would be distributed. They would also have to create a new regional agency to oversee the new center.

All three local governments are scheduled to vote on an agreement this month.

But officials have expressed some concern over the proposed tax increase.

The Lakewood City Council appeared most concerned with proposing a tax increase on the November ballot, particularly as the local and national economy continues to struggle.

Councilman Michael Brandstetter said if the November measure failed, local governments should allow for another chance to obtain funding rather than risk losing an interlocal agreement.