Cranbury Company Takes Over Emergency Dispatch in Lawrence

There was a flurry of activity at the Lawrence Township Police Department on Sunday, as the department prepared to become the first in the state to transition its municipal 911/emergency dispatch into the hands of private contractor. 

At 12:01 a.m. on Monday, April 1, the change became official.

"We're excited to be here and will do all we can to make this as successful as it can be," said Lawrence Consalvos, president & chief executive officer of Cranbury-based iXP Corporation, the only company to respond to the Township's request for proposals. "(Our dispatchers) will be the first point of contact when someone picks up the phone and dials 911 in the community and they will do an excellent job."

iXP received more than 400 applicants for the dispatch positions and the company hired 14 employees- at least nine full-time. All have previous public safety experience, Consalvos said. 

The new employees come from Mercer and Monmouth Counties. Each has had a minimum of 160 hours of training, including telecommunications, emergency medical dispatch, CPR, police department operations, technology. They have also conducted practice calls and ride alongs with Lawrence Police officers.

One to three dispatchers will be on duty at any time, with staffing models tied directly to workload, iXP Chief Executive Officer William Metro said. There will be more employees per shift to start. 

Lawrence Township officials sought proposals in an attempt to save money by privatizing dispatching services because the Township needed to cut a significant amount from its 2013 municipal budget in order to comply with the state’s 2 percent tax levy cap.

iXP's contract costs $719,400 a year, or $59,950 per month. The contract is for two years, and the Township has the option to award one three-year extension.

The privatization hasn't been a popular decision in Lawrence over the past several months, as different factions in town made impassioned pleas urging council members to reject privatization and keep the police communications center staffed by municipal employees. Lawrence Township Council approved the privatization on Jan. 22.

On Sunday, there was only excitement in the air, with officials saying the change will save roughly $1 million over the next five years and put more police officers on patrol. 

With only five active dispatchers working last year, officials said police officers were routinely being pulled off the street to fill dispatch vacancies, leading to fewer officers on patrol and forcing the Township to bring extra officers in on overtime.

"It wasn't just about the cost savings that changed my mind," Council Member Cathleen Lewis said "It was about putting officers on the street."

Only one former Lawrence Township dispatcher- Rich Lamont- has joined iXP. And although the Township paid more than iXP's median salary of $38,000, Lamond said he received a signing bonus and a promotion to training officer, so he will not take a pay cut. 

"I enjoy doing what I do," said Lamont, who lives in Lawrence. "When you become good at something, why leave something you like. It's just a different name on your paycheck."

Initially concerned about privatization, Lamont said over the past month he's been extremely impressed by the new company and his new coworkers. 

"I've talked to all the sergeants and said 'this is going to work, they're fine, they're ready to go,'" Lamont said Sunday night.

Lawrence Township Police Chief Daniel Posluszny said he believes the change in dispatch operations will be a model in the state of New Jersey in terms of communications. Consalvos agreed, saying the company has already received inquires from at least six other police departments in Mercer and Middlesex counties. He said it would be possible to establish a regional dispatch center at the Lawrence Township Police Department.