The Southeast Communications Center (SECOMM) emergency dispatch center in Richland, managed by Benton County Emergency Services (BCES), will begin fielding all Mid-Columbia 911 calls effective 3:00 a.m., on Monday, August 6, 2018.
The Transition & Buy-in Agreement to have Franklin County and City of Pasco dispatch services join BCES and form a bi-county operation of emergency dispatch services, was formally reached by all parties in June, 2017. However, discussions on the topic have been in process for over a decade. The decision addresses the need to improve 911 call routing from mobile phones as well as cost implications to replace Franklin County’s aging dispatch infrastructure and ever-evolving software technology.