New regional dispatch center coming to Bedford, Bedford Heights and Maple Heights

CLEVELAND - Soon the cities of Bedford, Bedford Heights, and Maple Heights will join forces and have one dispatch center to serve those areas.

"This will improve services and save money," said Bedford City Manager Henry J. Angelo.  

There are 48 dispatch centers in the 59 communities the county services. Of the eight communities that are looking at regional dispatch centers, Bedford, Bedford Heights and Maple Heights are the first three to sign up.

"We are the poster child," Angelo said, in a phone interview with NewsChannel5.

Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald is providing a $180,000-grant towards the regional call center effort. He said the national standard for call centers in a county is five to 10. Cuyahoga has 48.

"Basically, we have a very divided county. We have 59 different cities and never had a county government that was consolidated,” FitzGerald said.

Right now, the new call center is expected to be housed at Bedford Hospital in conjunction with University Hospitals. The call center is due to open by the end of next year.

Fitzgerald said the county has entered into a $270,000-contract with Cleveland State University. CSU will develop plans to help other communities consolidate.