For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Groveland Police Department Opens Renovated Dispatch Center

GROVELAND — Deputy Chief Jeffrey Gillen is pleased to announce that the Groveland Police Department moved into their newly renovated dispatch center last week.

Police entered the new space on March 3, after more than a year of work. The dispatch center — the hub of all communications for the town — handles all 911 calls and the business line for the Police and Fire Departments. It also receives all after hours calls for the Light, Highway and Water Departments.

The renovation comes at the perfect time. Groveland’s Dispatch Center has not had a significant overhaul in over 20 years and some of the equipment has been outdated for much longer. Updates included the removal of all previous equipment and upgrading the electrical panel and antennas on the roof of the public safety building. Additionally, all equipment has been properly grounded and wired. The previous equipment was susceptible to lightning strikes and other electrical issues.

Now, with state-of-the-art equipment, dispatchers are able to connect with all town departments and simulcast in the event of a large-scale emergency. Additionally, with new software and an updated layout, Groveland Police can accommodate two dispatchers in the event of a significant incident. Two separate workstations have the ability to receive 911 calls and dispatch independently, better assuring uninterrupted service to the community.

“Our inability to communicate with all town departments has been a concern for years,” said Deputy Gillen, who also serves as the Town’s Emergency Management Director. “In the event of an emergency, communication is crucial when applying a unified command approach to dealing with a crisis. We can now all communicate directly if needed, which will help us serve the public more proficiently.”

The project was completed on time and within budget. All-Comm Technologies, Inc. out of Revere was contracted to assist with the project.

Deputy Chief Gillen would like to recognize and thank everyone for their support. This includes, but is not limited to, the Town’s Finance Director, Denise Dembkoski, the Capital Improvement Committee, the Finance Committee, the Board of Selectmen, as well as the many men and women at the Groveland Police Department who volunteered their time and effort to save money by painting, upgrading the venting system and reconstructing the center.

“I am most appreciative and thankful of the residents of Groveland who supported the project,” Deputy Gillen said. “Having this new equipment allows us to serve the residents to the best of our ability. I encourage all residents to stop by the police station to view the new Dispatch Center.”

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