To the Editor,
As the Project Manager for the implementation of the City of Boston’s Police, Fire, and EMS Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system last decade, I applaud the Select Board for securing for Manchester the benefits of a modern dispatch system and related services with a redundant staffing model. This has required a thorough review of the facts around dispatch services, a commitment to assess the options for both the short- and long-term, and courage to recognize, yet see beyond, the emotional angst many have expressed about the cost of losing “local control.” With the Board’s decision, we in fact avoid both the real financial costs of going it alone and the opportunity cost of passing up the greater benefits offered through a regional call center that meets the standards of national police and firefighter organizations.
Daniel Adam
Manchester
