SO Substation

[Creeklover]

Did anyone know the South Walton SO Station has been closed except M-F 8-5 excluding holidays. I went there the other evening and it was closed and there was a phone out front. After talking to some i found out the dispatch was moved north to DFS and a Sworn officer sits at the desk in the front during the day to take complaints.

 

[rolling dune]

I went to the SO Sub on Friday afternoon around 2:30. I too picked up the phone and after 13 rings was told that the dispatch had been moved "up north". I was asked what I needed and when I stated my bizness, I asked if there was no one in the building and she told me no. I was told to wait there and she would send a deputy. He drove up a mintue later.

 

[scooterbug44]

I didn't think it WAS staffed outside of business hours.
I know the deputies are working at all hours, but figured there wasn't office personnel there outside the average work day.

 

[wrobert]

I didn't think it WAS staffed outside of business hours.
I know the deputies are working at all hours, but figured there wasn't office personnel there outside the average work day.

I thought when RJ was in office and did not get his requested budget increase, he laid off a bunch of the office workers in order to keep more sworn deputies on the street.

 

[Creeklover]

Yes but the dispatchers staffed the station 24/7 and the public was able to come in for help and dispatch would help them. When Mike took over he demoted Lt. Mitchem and placed him at the desk to assist the public. So now they haft to send a deputy over to the station everytime someone needs something?? When having a it open all the time was like having our own police station in SOWAL. Now all of the SO dispatchers are in one place what if something happens to the dispatch center in DFS when they were in the south end they could answer the northends calls and the smae the other way. now they are all in one place.

 

[wrobert]

Yes but the dispatchers staffed the station 24/7 and the public was able to come in for help and dispatch would help them. When Mike took over he demoted Lt. Mitchem and placed him at the desk to assist the public. So now they haft to send a deputy over to the station everytime someone needs something?? When having a it open all the time was like having our own police station in SOWAL. Now all of the SO dispatchers are in one place what if something happens to the dispatch center in DFS when they were in the south end they could answer the northends calls and the smae the other way. now they are all in one place.

Are all the sowal fire dispatchers in one place?

 

[Alan Osborne]

It's not about local politics

I don't care if it was a RJ policy or is a Mike A policy. This is the point, it's spring Break, this end of the county is the Beach at spring break, the most accidents and most calls will be generated from South Walton this time of year. The permanent residents need a sheriff's station open closer than DefuniaK 24/7 this time of year and probably all year long. According to Patrick Pilcher at the recent Tax payers association 89.1 % of the county tax revenue is generated south of 331 bridge. If we want South Walton to be different from Destin and Panama City at Spring Break we must maintain a strong law enforcement presence and strong emergency personnel presence. Who decided, or who got demoted isn't the issue, it's public safety and preservation of our economic and property/ way of life base or we'll have no schools, parks and community services. It's a fragile line we walk between needs and wants of a community versus the politics of it all.

" This view from the cheap seats is pretty dang clear"
Alan

 

[Bob Wells]

Are all the sowal fire dispatchers in one place?

Yes, yes they are as to SoWal Fire communication personnel.

I don't know, is it efficient use of the funds to place a live contact person at a window in the SoWal substatation, I will say that it seems unreasonable to to have the phone ring 12 or 13 times before someone answers it.

Also, is SO not using the South end facility for holding arrestees??? before they send them North, and if they are is there a jailer there that could be answering questions or manning the phones? If they are sending the arrestee??? North what if they have more than one throughout the same time frame, does that mean there are a reduced number of Deputies as they take arrestee's??? North?

 

[Creeklover]

Yes, yes they are as to SoWal Fire communication personnel.

I don't know, is it efficient use of the funds to place a live contact person at a window in the SoWal substatation, I will say that it seems unreasonable to to have the phone ring 12 or 13 times before someone answers it.

Also, is SO not using the South end facility for holding arrestees??? before they send them North, and if they are is there a jailer there that could be answering questions or manning the phones? If they are sending the arrestee??? North what if they have more than one throughout the same time frame, does that mean there are a reduced number of Deputies as they take arrestee's??? North?

The south end substation has not been used to hold Arrestees since RJ gave the CJ back to the county. The deputies from the was i understand it is they go north to the CJ when they arrest someone.


All of SWFD dispatchers are in one place but North Walton can dispatch all SWFD units if needed and SWFD can dispatch north units if needed.

I do not know if the county dispatch center can dispatch SO units or not. Maybe DFSPD can dispatch if needed..

 

[Bob Wells]

Boy, that sounds like a lot of travel and then I'll bet the check in time is long.