All 911 Calls Made In Bedford Will Be Received At Bedford Police Department

Last updated on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

(BEDFORD) - In about six months all 911 calls made within Bedford city limits will go directly to the Bedford Police Department.

Currently those calls are received by a dispatcher at the Lawrence County Sheriff's Department and then transferred to a Bedford Police Department dispatcher who then sends officers, ambulances or firefighters where needed.

"It is going to save some time getting emergency services where needed, there will be fewer mistakes, and it will decrease the number of calls coming into the sheriff's department," Emergency Management Director and 911 Coordinator Valerie Luchauer told the Lawrence County Commissioners Tuesday morning.

It could take as long as six months for the cell phone carriers, AT&T, Verizon and Sprint, to implement the program.

In other business:

Luchauer told the commissioners the annual report for the Americans with Disabilities Act is due in March. The county will be re-certified by the state in June or July.

Luchauer says a draft of an emergency evacuation plan for employees at the Lawrence County Courthouse is almost complete.

"Once we have the plan in place we will conduct a table top exercise in the fall to discuss the plan," she added.

Commissioner Bill Spreen reminded the public about a forum to review and comment on compatibility issues for the Joint Land Use Study for NSA Crane and its Lake Glendora Test Facility Wednesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Bedford Chamber.

Some of Crane's concerns are the development around I-69 interfering with work done on the military base, says Spreen.

"An example is at the 231 junction," Spreen added. "We know that area is going to grow with a possible motel, a truck stop and gas stations. And with all that comes a lot of bright lights. Crane does its night vision testing about three to four miles from that location and they would like to have a say on how tall and how bright those lights will be."

Spreen says they are not against growth.

"They would just like to have an agreement with the surrounding counties that their concerns will be taken into consideration," Spreen added.

Deputy Treasurer Martha Cox presented the Hoosier Hills 2016 lockbox agreement renewal. There was no cost increase and the terms remained the same as last year. The commissioners approved renewing the agreement.

Lawrence County Clerk Myron Rainey's goal is to make all the polling places handicapped accessible for the May 3rd Primary Election and he believes he has accomplished that.

Rainey has come up with a tentative list of new precinct polling locations that will meet ADA regulations.

List of tentative polling locations:

Shawswick 1A and 1B - Bedford College Center on I Street
Shawswick 2 and 3 - Courthouse
Shawswick 4- which was at Bedford Baptist Temple on N Street will move to Lincoln Elementary School
Shawswick 5A - Wilson Park Shelter
Shawswick 5B - Assembly of God Church
Shawswick 7A and 7B - Church of God
Shawswick 8 - which was at the Central Church of Christ will move to Bedford Middle School
Shawswick 9 and 10 - Which was at the Free Methodist Church will move to Stalker School
Shawswick 11 - Otis Park Red Brick
Shawswick 12 - which was at Oolitic Town Hall will move to Dollens Elementary School
Shawswick 13 - which was at Dive Christian Church will move to Dollens Elementary School
Shawswick 14A - Community Baptist Fellowship
Shawswick 14B - Leatherwood Christian Church
Shawswick 15A and B - which was at the airport, a new location has not been found
Shawswick 16 - Grace Full Gospel Church will move to the Assembly of God Church
Marion 1 and 4 - 1st Baptist Church in Mitchell
Marion 2 and 3 - Mitchell Community Center
Marion 5A - The office building at the fairgrounds will be moved to an exhibit hall at the 4-H Fairgrounds
Marion 5B - Marion Township Volunteer Fire Department will move to Mitchell High School
Marion 5C - Pace Union Hall on Old Ind. 60 will move to Mitchell High School
Marion 6 - Mitchell Presbyterian Church will move to Mitchell High School
Bono - Camp Rivervale will move to the Mitchell Presbyterian Church
Guthrie - Tunnelton United Methodist Church, a new location has not been found
Indian Creek North and South - Fayetteville Baptist Church will move to Fayetteville School
Marshall 1 and 3 - will move from Valley Mission Church to Cross Road Church
Marshall 2 - will move from Mount Pleasant Church to Cross Road Church
Perry - Springville School
Pleasant Run - Community Building will move to Heltonville School
Spice Valley North - Williams Community Center will move to Fayetteville School
Spice Valley South - Huron Fire Barn will move to an exhibit hall at the 4-H Fairgrounds

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