The Ohio State Highway Patrol is changing the way it dispatches troopers by combining the dispatchers from six counties into one center in St. Clairsville.
Patrol Staff Lt. Matt Evans, who is assistant district commander, said troopers still will be stationed at the Steubenville post on Cadiz Road after the change occurs later this summer.
The patrol invested in a new radio system — a Multi-Agency Radio Communication System, or MARCS — that gives the patrol statewide communication capabilities.
Troopers used to fill in as dispatchers in the past but won’t be able to with MARCS because of the training involved, according to Evans. Dispatchers from posts in Belmont, Monroe, Washington, Morgan, Jefferson and Harrison counties in August or September all will begin work out of the St. Clairsville post, dispatching for troopers in the six counties that make up the patrol’s District 7.
Some dispatchers aren’t pleased with the change because of increased travel distance to work and the fact they will be dispatching troopers in unfamiliar areas. Evans said dispatchers around the state were given the option of transferring to another post if their drive time to work increased to more than one hour.
Evans noted there will be three dispatchers working each shift at the St. Clairsville post. He said three dispatchers will be able to handle the volume of calls and talking to troopers on the road. The cruisers, as part of MARCS, have Global Positioning System equipment on the cars, and a computerized map in the dispatch center will show the position of each trooper on duty, Evans said.
During high-volume times, such as a snowstorm, one dispatcher will be used only to answer phone calls, Evans said.
“Over time it will be a cost savings,” Evans said.
The public still will be able to go to other patrol posts to get a copy of an accident report or other information. Evans said those posts will be staffed during normal weekday hours. A camera and a call box will be available for a person coming to the posts to communicate with a dispatcher in St. Clairsville.
“There won’t be a loss of service to the public,” Evans said.
He noted other states have gone to regional dispatching for state police.
“A lot of states have been doing this for years,” he said.
The MARCS radios can communicate with the 911 centers in Jefferson and Belmont counties.
Robert Herrington, Jefferson County 911 director, said all police cruisers in Jefferson County will be equipped with a MARCS radio that will give local police the ability to talk directly to a trooper on the road.
“If a trooper needs backup, we will hear it and will be able to step in,” Herrington said.
He added there is no problem with the 911 systems in Jefferson and Belmont counties communicating because both systems are similar. He also said other states have gone to regional communication systems.
“It is the trend. Everyone is cutting corners and trying to save money. It is not unheard of,” Herrington said.
