PHILIPSBURG:---- -Police officially announced the opening of the Central Dispatch Center linking the ambulance department and the police to one communication line. The fire department is not part of the system according the Benjamin Gout Head of the Police Traffic Department. Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson and Minister Claret Connor were among the dignitaries at the police headquarters in Philipsburg on Tuesday afternoon.
Inspector Gout explained in a brief power-point presentation that the Police started to work on centralizing the system in 2009. Fast track to 2012, funding agency USONA made financing available to fund the building and equipment for the Central Dispatch Center located upstairs the Philipsburg Drug store. 24/7 the center will be manned by personnel from the police service.
Director of NAGICO insurances Eric Ellis spoke as the new chairman for a recently established foundation called P3 which stands for Public Private Partnership Foundation. Illis said that the foundation is to assist the community especially the financially tight-strapped police force. He called for the community to come forth as cooperate citizens and join the foundation, which consist of professionals. P3 will provide hurricane shutters for the Central Dispatch Center and pay for travel and transportation expenses when attending training sessions.
Justice Minister Dennis Richardson said “I congratulate the police force of St. Maarten. We plan to do much more”. special mention was made of a Drone project and setting up surveillance cameras at strategic areas. Commissioner Carl John thanked the staff for their dedication and commitment to improving the police Central Dispatch Center. He said “the good we do is overlooked but we are not going to stop, we are going to keep going said the police official.
You can now call the police on Dutch St. Maarten at 911 and get assistance for police and ambulance services. Click for the audio of Tuesday’s ceremony.
