| Contact Information | Location / Address |
| Emergency: 9-1-1 Non- Emergency 24x7: (231) 882-4484 |
Located in the Sheriff’s Office 505 S. Michigan Ave. Beulah, MI 49617 |
| Personnel | Office Hours |
| Cory Ellis - Director Michael Draeger - Deputy Director/Dispatch Supervisor |
24-hour operation |
Services Offered
Emergency and non-emergency public safety answering point (PSAP) for Benzie County.
Description
Benzie County Central Dispatch was established on October 16, 2012 by the Board of Commissioners.
Benzie County Central Dispatch is the emergency and non-emergency public safety answering point (PSAP) for Benzie County.
Benzie County Central Dispatch is a consolidated dispatch center providing dispatching and monitoring services to the following public safety providers using the MPSCS – Michigan Public Safety Communications System and VHF frequencies.
Partner Agencies:
- Benzie County Sheriff’s Office
- Frankfort Police Department
- Michigan State Police
- National Park Service Law Enforcement
- Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Tribal Police
- Michigan Department of Natural Resources
- Almira Township Fire Department
- Benzonia Township Fire Department
- Frankfort Fire Department
- Homestead Township Fire Department
- Inland Township Fire Department
- Thompsonville Fire Department
- Benzie County EMS
- Almira Township EMS
- Thompsonville EMS
Benzie County Central Dispatch also provides services to the local Courts, Probation and Parole Officers, Animal Control Officers, the Office of Emergency Management, and U S Coast Guard Station Frankfort.
Technology:
Benzie County Central Dispatch uses several types of technology in performing our duties:
- Enhanced 9-1-1 which provides caller ID information
- Mapping software for cellular phone location identification
- Computer-aided dispatch system to record and track the calls for service
- Address point mapping to identify the location of an address
- Mobile laptop computers in the Sheriff, EMS and Fire Department units to deliver the call for service information.
- Mapping software in the laptops for address location identification.
- GPS tracking on the units
Training:
Benzie County Central Dispatch personnel meet the State of Michigan mandatory training requirements and receive continuous education training which includes but not limited to; call taking, dispatching, CPR, Emergency Medical Dispatch and the Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN). Continuous education and re-certification is required in several of the training requirements.
Funding:
Operational funding is provided by a citizen approved 9-1-1 surcharge applied to all telephone subscribers in the county and from a state wireless surcharge formula, based on the county population, from the State 9-1-1 Committee. No county general funds are applied.
Governance:
For the purpose of policy and procedures Benzie County Central Dispatch is governed by the Benzie County Central Dispatch Advisory Board. Agencies represented on the board include the following:
- Benzie County Sheriff’s Office
- Frankfort Police Department
- Michigan State Police
- Benzie County EMS
- Benzie County Fire Chiefs
- Benzie County Board of Commissioners
- National Park Service – Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
The Director is appointed by the Board of Commissioners and is a member of the Michigan Communications Director Association.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to manage emergency and non-emergency public safety calls for service, and dispatch and monitor the law enforcement agencies, fire departments and emergency medical service providers we serve, for the protection of property and the safety of the citizens, visitors and the public safety personnel of Benzie County.
Benzie County Sheriff’s Office – Frankfort Police Department – Michigan State Police
Benzie County EMS – Benzie County Fire EMS Departments
Related Services at other Departments
Related Web Links
