SPRINGFIELD — First responders in Springfield said they are forced to rely on radio dispatching due to a days-long computer system outage.
“The ongoing connectivity challenges the City is experiencing with the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems are significantly impacting public safety services and the City’s ability to provide efficient service to the community,” according to a statement on behalf of Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck, Police Chief Allison Elliott and Fire Rescue Chief Jacob King.
On Friday, June 7, Springfield announced the system outage at the Clark County combined dispatch center and said it was expected to be out for several days.
Monday, Springfield leaders outlined its main concerns caused by the continued connectivity issues.
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The city said the issues are causing delays in dispatching and responding to calls.
While radio dispatching can be effective, the city said it becomes inefficient with the high volume of calls the Springfield Police Division sees.
The city has relied on in-car CAD systems to respond to calls since 2007, so it said relying on radio dispatching increases the chance of errors.
Having to respond to calls over the radio also takes up more of officers’ time, the city claims, and can lead to a backlog of calls.
The combined dispatching operation includes the city of Springfield, the city of New Carlisle, and all 10 townships in Clark County.
News Center 7 has reached out to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and a dispatch supervisor for comment.
We will update this story if we receive a response.
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