Village of Oak Lawn considers outsourcing dispatching

At a special budget meeting on November 6, the idea of privatizing the 911 dispatch services was introduced as a bold move aimed at addressing rising costs and declining revenue. While the decision has raised some concerns, it’s seen as a necessary step given the financial pressures facing the department.

The current system employs 20 civilian police staff under a union contract, but those roles would be moved to Norcomm. The plan is to keep the existing managers in place, while the dispatchers would transition to a new employer. According to Kathy Hansen, the emergency communications director, the village is losing money due to declining state surcharges from landline users switching to mobile phones, while operational costs continue to climb.

In addition to handling Oak Lawn's 911 calls, the center also serves five local police departments and ten fire departments in the south suburbs. This makes the decision even more significant, as it affects a broader community network.

Norcomm, which has been operating since 1994, is known as Illinois' first 911 call center, offering comprehensive public safety communication services. The company has already worked with several municipalities and is well-versed in the demands of emergency dispatching.

Village Manager Larry Deetjen highlighted that outsourcing to Norcomm could save Oak Lawn $893,000 over two years. This money could then be used to invest in next-generation technologies, such as text-to-911 capabilities. In addition, the village would earn rental income by leasing out the state-of-the-art facility to Norcomm.

Deetjen also emphasized that Norcomm offers competitive wages and benefits, with better opportunities for career advancement. Current dispatchers would have priority in applying for their jobs, though they would now be part of a corporate pension plan instead of the Metropolitan Alliance of Police’s union plan.

“I think many of them will want to stay, even if it’s a different company,” Deetjen said. “They’ll still work in the same location, wear the same uniforms, and get comparable benefits.”

Hansen shared some financial data showing that overtime pay in the department reached $124,855 through August 2013, with one employee receiving $55,000 in overtime alone. Without overtime, top earners made around $69,000, plus an additional $28,000 in benefits.

She explained that the savings come from a more market-driven compensation structure, allowing the village to hire more dispatchers while maintaining efficiency. Under the new arrangement, Oak Lawn would only cover 45% of the costs, down from the current 55%.

Deetjen also mentioned that the village remains open to further discussions with the union if they want to explore ways to reduce costs and preserve jobs through negotiated adjustments.

“The market is evolving, and we’re looking at all options,” he said. “We’re in talks with other potential providers too, including competing centers and private vendors like Norcomm.”

Thanks, Dan

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