HOUSTON -- Without missing a beat or call, the City of Houston last week transferred its 911 police dispatch services from Wasilla's regional emergency center to Guardian Security, a private security firm based in Anchorage.
Houston's mayor, Rosemary Burnett, said Monday she was contacted by Guardian managers this month after a news story revealed the city would be without 911 dispatch services after its contract with Wasilla's MATCOM service expired Sept. 16.
"We're very pleased with our new contract," Burnett said. "We think it's even better than the one we had with Wasilla, and it's certainly cheaper."
Facing an increase in MATCOM costs from $12,800 last year to $54,000 this year, the city could not reach agreement with Wasilla.
That worried Dennis Brodigan, Mat-Su Borough Emergency Services director, since it meant some 911 police calls go to voice mail if Houston's single police line was in use. Houston also wouldn't have the benefit of MATCOM dispatchers assisting with multiple calls and making sure callers and emergency personnel were getting everything they needed as quickly as possible.
"Guardian has dispatchers on duty 24/7, so the likelihood of a call not being answered by a live person is highly unlikely," Brodigan said Monday.
Burnett wouldn't disclose the price of Guardian's dispatch services but said the cost is less than the $12,800 Houston paid Wasilla last year.
Houston's main police officer, Charles McAnally, said he's pleased with the agreement because it will provide Houston residents with more services than they got working with Wasilla.
Such benefits include more frequent welfare checks, a faster turnaround time for officers and a guarantee from Guardian that one of its five on-duty dispatchers will be dedicated solely to Houston police calls.
By K.T. McKEE
kmckee@adn.com
