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Oak Lawn outsourcing of emergency dispatch – update
The Village of Oak Lawn recently handed over its emergency dispatch operations to a private company, sparking concerns from neighboring communities. A recent article by CBS Chicago highlights growing frustrations from the Oak Lawn Village Board, which has been made aware of several complaints regarding the new system.
During a recent meeting, Trustee Bob Streit raised serious concerns about the emergency call center, referencing a letter from Evergreen Park officials. The letter detailed a series of incidents over the past few weeks, including alleged lapses in service quality. The dispatch center, now operated by a private firm, serves multiple areas, including Evergreen Park, and was privatized this year as part of a cost-saving initiative. Many longtime dispatchers lost their jobs as a result.
Evergreen Park's attorney, Michael Cainkar, wrote to the dispatch center director, Kathy Hansen, expressing worries about response times and communication. One specific case involved a man with a gun, where critical information allegedly wasn’t conveyed properly to responding officers. In his letter dated February 24, Cainkar warned that the current performance poses a direct threat to public and officer safety. Streit echoed those concerns, stating, “There’s more. This is just the tip of the iceberg.â€
Streit also criticized the village leadership for not informing the board about these complaints. He said, “This board is supposed to set policy, but it’s impossible to do so when important issues are kept from us. There is no excuse, especially when it comes to public safety.â€
While some officials remain optimistic, Evergreen Park Mayor Jim Sexton expressed confidence in the new system, saying, “It’s not a big deal at this point.†However, others are less convinced.
Village Manager Larry Deetjen defended the new arrangement, emphasizing that the dispatch team handles over 100,000 calls annually across several communities. He stated, “We do an outstanding job, but we’re not perfect. We weren’t perfect before the change either.†He added that previous issues were handled internally under labor contracts and never made public.
Mayor Sandra Bury also spoke during the meeting, saying, “To imply there were no mistakes with the former system… you’re seeing it made into something political, and that’s really a shame.†She stressed that the new system isn’t significantly different from the old one.
Despite these assurances, many residents and officials are still uneasy, questioning whether the transition has truly improved safety or simply shifted problems behind closed doors.
Thanks, Dan.