Journal-News.com

Lebanon police will soon get an upgrade to their dispatch and communication facilities.

Lebanon City Council voted 6-0 to approve plans for a new communication center for the Lebanon Police Station on Silver Street. The upgrades will cost $258,000 to construct. Approximately $220,000 is being paid for with Federal Wireless 9-11 monies given to the city annually.

The communication center is the hub of police activity. It is where 911 calls made within the city are received and the point from which fire, police, and ems squads are dispatched.

"The intimate contact dispatchers have with police officers in our city works so well to keep our city safe and make sure our residents have the help they need," said council member Matt Rodriguez. Rodriguez said he believed having a locally based dispatch unit would account for a quicker response time and eliminate mistakes. In Warren County, only the cities of Lebanon, Franklin and Springboro use in-house dispatch centers, while other areas rely on a county-based dispatch unit.

Lebanon Police Chief Ken Burns said the equipment had not been upgraded since 1989 and many of the radios and communications devices had become antiquated. The renovations also will refurbish structural components of the buildings, built in 1964, including the heating, venting and cooling system, and electrical wiring. The city's evidence lockers also will be upgraded to better keep with law enforcement standards.

The reconstruction of the communication center also will turn three rooms into one, creating a less cramped atmosphere in the communication center.

Lebanon will not shut down its dispatch during the reconstruction, which is expected to take three months.

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4544 or jmcclelland@coxohio.com.