Ordinance would appropriate $190,000
By: John Tredrea
The Hopewell Township Committee voted unanimously Aug. 3 to introduce an ordinance, scheduled for a public hearing and adoption vote Aug. 17, that would appropriate $190,000 for the purchase and installation of an upgrade to the township Police Department console communication system.
The system is used by police dispatchers, who coordinate activities of police officers, first aid units, firefighters and other groups.
"Our system is fairly old and antiquated … we need the level of service and support" the console upgrade will bring, said deputy mayor and public safety director Jon Edwards just before the township committee voted for the ordinance on first reading.
Mr. Edwards advised purchasing the upgrade after recently inspecting a system, identical to the one the township police will have if the plan goes through, at the Sayreville police department. He said that, during his visit to the Sayreville department’s communication’s center, a phone call came in from a local resident whose husband appeared to be having a heart attack.
Mr. Edwards said that, by flipping a single switch on the console of the Sayreville department’s communications center, "all relevant services – including police and ambulance – were communicating on the same channel in less than 10 seconds" about the possible heart attack. "It would have taken multiple phone calls" in Hopewell Township to respond to a similar incident, he concluded.
If the ordinance is adopted as expected, a $10,000 down payment will be made on the new police console. The $180,000 balance would be covered by a bond ordinance.
Installation of the new system was recommended at a recent township committee meeting by Chief Michael Chipowsky. Accompanying Mr. Edwards to the Sayreville station for the inspection of their system was township police Lt. George Meyer.