PAWHUSKA, Okla. — Pawhuska residents will no longer hear dispatch services from their local police department, following a new agreement between the city and the Osage County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrangement, finalized earlier this month, is expected to enhance emergency response times while easing financial burdens for the city.
WATCH: Osage County Sheriff’s Office takes over dispatch for Pawhuska
Osage County Sheriff Bart Perrier explained that the transition aims to streamline the dispatch process for residents. Previously, calls to 9-1-1 would first go to the sheriff’s office, which would then route the calls to the Pawhuska Police Department for dispatch.
Local News
No charges to be filed from OSBI probe into former Pawhuska police chief
“Now, when residents call 9-1-1, the call goes right to Osage County,” he said. “We’re really speeding the process up.”
Residents like Melody Kirk, who encountered the dispatch in a moment of crisis when her husband was involved in a car accident, expressed optimism about the change.
“My husband was in a wreck, and while it was him who called, they were very quick to respond,” Kirk said.
She is hopeful that with the sheriff’s office handling dispatch, the emergency services in her city will improve.
“Being able to have full coverage of it where the city is lacking employees, hopefully now with the full coverage, they’ll be better served and quicker served,” she said.
Under the new annual contract of $100,000, Osage County will take over emergency medical, fire, and law enforcement calls, a significant reduction compared to the almost $160,000 the city previously spent on its dispatch personnel.
“So realistically, in the grand scheme of things, the calls from Pawhuska PD is going to be a drop in the bucket compared to what we're really dealing with.” Sheriff Perrier said.
He added that his department already manages the dispatch for over 50 fire departments, numerous EMS services, and various law enforcement agencies across the county.
To accommodate the increased responsibilities, Osage County will be adding two more dispatchers to always have a total of four available.
Kirk believes this staffing will be essential, especially in smaller communities like Pawhuska.
“In a small town, you don’t want to wait. When you call, you want to be answered,” she said. “I think having more staff and better availability to take phone calls will help get them answered quickly.”
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
