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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. CBS Chicago recently reported on the growing unease among residents and officials following a series of complaints brought before the Oak Lawn Village Board.
During a recent meeting, Trustee Bob Streit raised serious concerns about the new system, citing a letter from Evergreen Park officials. The letter highlighted a string of incidents over the past few weeks, including what was described as poor service and miscommunication. Evergreen Park's attorney, Michael Cainkar, expressed worry that critical details—such as a case involving a man with a gun—were not properly relayed to responding officers.
Oak Lawn’s emergency dispatch center serves multiple communities, including Evergreen Park. The decision to privatize the center came as part of a cost-saving initiative, which led to many longtime dispatchers losing their jobs. The move has drawn sharp criticism, with some questioning whether efficiency and safety were compromised in the process.
Streit emphasized that he and other board members were not fully informed about these complaints by Village Manager Larry Deetjen or Mayor Sandra Bury. “This board is supposed to set policy, but it’s impossible to do so when issues are kept hidden,†he said. “There is no excuse, especially when public safety is at stake.â€
Evergreen Park Mayor Jim Sexton, however, remains confident in the new system. “It’s not a big deal right now,†he said. “We believe the problems will be resolved.†Meanwhile, Deetjen defended the new arrangement, stating that the contractor, Norcomm, prioritizes community safety. He noted that the dispatch center handles over 100,000 calls annually across several communities and insists that while no system is perfect, the change hasn’t led to a noticeable increase in errors.
Bury added that previous issues were handled internally under a labor contract and never made public. “People are human,†she said. “You’ve heard emergency calls—sometimes words aren’t clear.†She urged residents not to be misled or scared by the current situation.
Despite the controversy, both officials maintain that the system is functioning as intended and that any challenges are being addressed. However, the growing tension between residents, officials, and the new management suggests that this issue is far from resolved.