Newton Falls police dispatch shuts down Friday at noon

NEWTON FALLS, Ohio - After 72 years of service, the Newton Falls Police Department will shut down its dispatch operations today.

In a release posted to the department’s Facebook page , officers announced the department’s dispatch services would cease at noon on Friday following years of state cuts to the city’s general fund.

All emergency calls within the city will now be handled by Trumbull County 911.

Non-emergency calls to the Newton Falls Police Department at (330) 872-5757 will be directed to an automated system. The system will include dial prompts for the following divisions: records, police administration, officer mailboxes, utilities department, fire department, city information and detective bureau.

Changes will also be made to the Newton Falls Police Department’s hours of operation. The department lobby and records division will now only be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. A call box has been installed outside the station’s main entrance for after hours use. These calls will be rerouted to the Trumbull County 911 dispatch center.

According to officers, eliminating Newton Falls Police Department’s dispatch services is expected to save the city $100,000 dollars.

Officers have requested a proclamation be read at the city council’s meeting Monday, September 17, honoring dispatchers who have worked at the center for multiple years. Police said many of those dispatchers will relocate to the county dispatch center.