A vagrant burst into Ben Shearer?s Hampstead office in the middle of the day a few weeks ago, screaming obscenities.
Shearer, afraid of being hurt, maybe killed, called 911. Soon the police will be here, he thought, and the man willl be arrested.
But it took 40 minutes for police to arrive for the call, and the vagrant had fled.
“I just told them this is stupid. We?re a business; we?re on a main route,” Shearer said. “He could?ve walked in here and killed everyone here and left. There?s a lot you can do in 40 minutes.”
The delayed response provides a glimpse of a communication breakdown in the 911 system in Carroll Couunty.
Callers first reach the county?s 911 center. If they?re in any town except Westminster, which has its own police, they?re transferred to the state police. From there, callers are transferred to the municipal police. If the phone isn?t answered, it?s rerouted back to the county center.
“The generic concept of having a one-stop shop and not having to make transfers is the right thing to do,” said Scott Campbell, the county?s public safety administrator. “It?s the right thing to do, but that doesn?t mean it?s feasible.”
Manchester and Hampstead cut out the transfer to the state police this month so calls are directly dispatched from the county office. It has proved to be a smooth transition, officials said.
It makes more sense and saves time to work directly with the county and avoid transfers, Manchester Police Chief Gerald Gall and Hampstead Police Chief Kenneth Meekins agreed.
A task force is studying the cost, workload, technology and personnel effects the additions of Taneytown and Sykesville would have. Its report is due in early November, and Campbell predicted at least one more full-time county dispatcher would need to be on around the clock, bringing the total to seven.
For people like Shearer, it?s worth it. “Something needs to be done,” Shearer said. “I can?t sit here and tell you we haven?t thought about alternative security measures, because we have.”
