Western Washington University will be switching its 911 dispatch services to What-Comm 911 in January. As a result, four employees at Westerns dispatch will be laid off but will have the opportunity to apply for jobs at What-Comm, the public safety answering point for Whatcom County.
Katy Potts, Western’s chief of police, said the decision came after many conversations about campus safety as well as the rising costs of upgrading the dispatch center’s technology.
“WWUPD is the only police department in Whatcom County not currently being dispatched by What-Comm 911,” Potts said in a statement to CDN. “This is extremely challenging during mutual aid situations or in multi-agency emergencies.”
Potts believed that having WWUPD under What-Comm will enhance the university’s emergency response capabilities as well as streamline communication between other law enforcement agencies in Whatcom County.
Alysn Everbeck, the deputy director of What-Comm 911, said the process was still in the early stages.
“The addition of a new user agency is a multi-step process,” she said. “We are carefully evaluating all aspects of what will be required and look forward to the possibility of streamlining access to emergency services for all residents and visitors in Whatcom County.”
WWU Dispatch employees were notified about the switch early in the morning of Monday, Aug. 5. In a letter obtained by CDN to the Washington Federation of State Employees, the bargaining unit that represents the dispatch employees, Potts assured the union that the employees will have the chance to apply for jobs at What-Comm.
“What-Comm 911 has expressed interest in having our employees apply for positions within their organization,” according to the letter, dated Monday, Aug. 5.
WFSE told CDN in a statement WWU allegedly violated the collective bargaining agreement because of lack of advance notice to dispatch employees about the layoffs.
“If the layoffs proceed, students, staff and faculty will have to call 911 for services like lockout assistance, escorts to vehicles at night and more,” WFSE stated. “Wait times may increase and campus safety may suffer.”
Upgrades to the current Western dispatch center include the computer-aided dispatch system and the radio system, Potts said. To upgrade the dispatch system, it would cost $18,195 for the first year and then $2,370 annually. Fixing the radio system, which would include a server and two radio stations, was estimated to cost $500,000 with an annual cost of $6,000.
The recommended upgrades came from a report completed by What-Comm that could help WWU Dispatch improve the interoperability between the two centers.
Western is currently facing a budget deficit. The Board of Trustees approved the sale of six properties in June in an effort to clawback some of the deficit caused by declining enrollment numbers.
At the trustees meeting in June, Faye Gallant, the assistant vice president for strategy, management and budget, said the university was examining a number of one-time measures to fill the gap between revenues and expenditures. One such measure included voluntary contract reductions and furloughs.
“We’re not pressuring employees in any way but we have had some folks already indicate interest,” she said, noting employees and supervisors must agree on the reductions and furloughs.
Western isn’t the only public university to use an outside dispatch for emergency services, according to Potts. Eastern Washington University and Central Washington University contract with the local police department dispatch service and the county dispatch service, respectively.
EWU switched to using the Cheney Police Department’s dispatch service in July. When Potts spoke with the chief of police, “he said it was the best thing they did.”
Western’s switch to What-Comm will start on Jan. 1, 2025.
Annie Todd is CDN’s criminal justice/enterprise reporter; reach her at annietodd@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 130.
