MANCHESTER – The township will upgrade its computer aided dispatch and save taxpayers money by entering an agreement with a neighboring town.
The township originally sought to purchase the Spillman Technologies Software through a state contract, but a recommendation from Police Chief Lisa Parker made council change its course. The township will instead enter an agreement with Toms River as host agency, with Manchester entering a one-year contract.
Manchester police Lt. Robert Dolan provided information about the township’s contract through the clerk’s office. According to Dolan, the township will save more than $150,000 in hardware costs and $267,000 in software costs with its agreement with Toms River.
It’s not a move to use their dispatchers, but to share the dispatch software.
“The Spillman system is the police CAD – Computer Aided Dispatch system. Manchester is using an outdated system and is looking to move to the Spillman system. Last year Ocean County began a countywide CAD system project with Spillman, however I am being told there have been issues with getting their system up and running so Manchester began seeking alternates,” councilman Brendan Weiner told The Manchester Times.
Toms River’s system has been in place nine years, he said.
“Manchester reached out to Toms River regarding their system that has been in operation for over nine years and through this the towns found a mutually beneficial relationship with sharing this service,” the councilman said.
Weiner, who abstained from voting to authorize the contract because he works for Toms River, nonetheless spoke highly of Spillman.
“My full-time employer is Toms River Township and one of my tasks in Toms River is to maintain the mapping side of the Spillman System. In all likelihood, I will be performing some of the mapping side of the system setup/maintenance for Manchester as well,” Weiner said. “Out of the extreme side of caution I abstained from the vote because this agreement is between both of my employers and down the road I want things to be clear as day that I abstained from this vote.”
Spillman Technologies, Inc., out of Salt Lake City, provides “public safety software” to police departments and other law enforcement agencies and first responders.
“The Spillman Dispatch System is used to process emergency calls from the public requesting police, fire, medical or other emergency services. Dispatchers determine the nature and location of the emergency; determine priorities, and dispatch police, fire, ambulance or other emergency units as necessary,” the Toms River Police communications department website explains.
The township will pay Toms River $375 per Manchester Township Spillman user. It was unknown at press time how many users Manchester would have.
“Toms River and Manchester Township going forward will have access to certain shared data since the two systems are linked; however, the two systems will be completely partitioned from one another on the Toms River system. Other police departments have not been linked to Manchester Police Department’s servers or databases prior to this agreement,” Dolan said.
Manchester will store offense reports, arrest reports and limited suspect and calls for service data on the Spillman system. Dolan said the specifics will be worked out as the project progresses.
