Those unions, the Bozeman Local 613 and the Bozeman Police Protective Association, say that was a vote of no confidence in the Gallatin County 911 service, citing outdated communication and a lack of transparency dating back years.
On Wednesday, the county administrator fired back with a letter of his own to the City of Bozeman.
“To take the steps that we have taken is a pretty big deal,” says Brian Carroll, Bozeman firefighter and president of the Local 613 union.
It’s an issue that, according to Carroll, is felt by both fire crews and police.
If it’s felt by them, he says the community must feel it even further.
“Our issue is not with the dispatchers themselves,” Carroll says. “They are doing a phenomenal job and we believe the same system that we’ve lost confidence in and has failed them, as well.”
Carroll adds that the system needs an improvement.
“It has failed,” Carroll says. “The system has failed and here we are, still having significant issues with call times, how quickly we are being notified.”
Administrator Jim Doar responded with a letter to Bozeman City Manager Andrea Surratt.
In part, he wrote: “it is inappropriate for City unions to make management demands of Gallatin County and I will not engage your employees in this issue.”
He also wrote: “consistent, public, and erroneous complaining by City of Bozeman employees because their perceived needs are not being elevated above those of all users on the system is counterproductive and short sighted.”
Interim 911 director Jim Anderson, who is also a captain at the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, says it’s a tough job.
Yet, it needs to be done right, with the right technology.
“Multi-tasking,” Anderson says. “It’s de-escalation. It’s problem-solving and all on the fly. As soon as they hang up the phone, it starts all over again.”
Anderson says the last 18 months have been productive.
The center has installed new monitoring systems on all radio sites.
There are also five new dispatchers in training, working with 10 others working full-time.
“We’re trying to create a positive culture of helping and working together towards this common goal of standing up this 911 center and making it strong,” Anderson says. “Additionally, we are in the process of getting a contract signed with Montana State University to incorporate their dispatch center here, as well, so when that is done, we will be dispatching for the entire county of Gallatin except for the town of West Yellowstone.”
He says there are also other plans in the works, a goal that he says will prove the dispatch center is doing what it should, helping to save lives at a moment’s notice.
“It’s small and it’s slow but you can see improvement in here every day,” Anderson says. “It just starts getting better and better.”
