Phase one is underway in Danbury for the migration to a centralized civilian dispatch center for the Police and Fire departments.  Mayor Mark Boughton says starting this month, civilians are staffing the front desk operations of the Police Station.  By mid-February, the new Western Connecticut 911 dispatch center will go live. 

Boughton called it a huge culture change for the public safety system, and sets the stage for an eventual migration to a regional 911 call center.

Boughton says it represents a $1 million-per-year increase of proactive policing for the community. He says residents will see quicker response times by police, more traffic enforcement, and a greater emphasis on quality-of-life enforcement.

Financially, after an initial two- to three-year up-front investment, Boughton says taxpayers will see a significant savings driven by a reduction in overtime, and a reduction of staffing through attrition.