Trenton Police Awarded Grant to Combine Dispatch Services with Riverview

The was awarded a state grant in the amount of $239,750 to update the prisoner lockup facility and to assist in creating a combined dispatch center with the City of Riverview.

Trenton Police Chief Jim Nardone announced the approval of the grant at Monday’s regularly scheduled city council meeting.

Nardone said the grant was a joint effort with the cities of Trenton and Riverview.

Former Chief William Lilienthal wrote the grant in October 2011. The original grant request was for $484,500, and Nardone said he was pleased to receive about half the requested amount.

A plan for the inter-local agreement with the two cities must be approved by both city councils within the next 60 days before going forward with the project according to Nardone.

“Its great news for our south Downriver area to move forward with a consolidated dispatch project,” Nardone said. “The next step is to finalize the award by having a board resolution by both councils.”

The money is slated to be used in a number of different ways:

• Upgrade the 911 emergency call system.
• Upgrade the police radio system.
• Upgrade the lockup facility’s heating and cooling units.
• Improve the Live Scan Identification Network or fingerprint system.
• Purchase furniture for the new dispatch center.
• Provide training.

Nardone told council members he hopes to begin the consolidation process in the next two to three weeks.

He added the consolidation would potentially allow for more officers available for patrol duty.

“This is one of our stabs at regionalism and to combine some services with Riverview so we get a better bang for our buck,” Councilman Tim Taylor said.

The lockup facility was built in the mid-1980s and was initially used as a full-service jail for people sentenced up to one year, according to Nardone.

Currently the 16 cell facility is used for lockup for up to 72-hours for people waiting arraignment or charges. Nardone said the facility would likely be used in the same capacity as it is now.

Trenton Mayor Kyle Stack thanked Lilienthal, who did not attend the meeting, for his work on the grant.

The grant is part of the Michigan Department of Treasury’s Economic Vitality Incentive Program.

Check back with Trenton Patch next week for more information on the dispatch consolidation and improvements to the lockup facility.