Oceanport Police Department merges dispatch services with West Long Branch

Oceanport Mayor Michael J. Mahon announced last night that the municipal police department has merged dispatch services with the West Long Branch Police in a shared service agreement.

The recently constructed West Long Branch Police facility on Broadway has been established as the single dispatch center for the joint operation. The Oceanport headquarters will be used for local emergency operations and as a back-up communications console.

Oceanport will pay West Long Branch $150,000 annually, which Mahon said cuts annual dispatch costs “by nearly 50%” for each community. “Annual increases of 2% are included in the agreement with the boroughs projecting a joint savings of $1.3 million over the initial five-year term.”

Although joint dispatch operations aren’t set to begin until Apr. 1 at the earliest, Mahon stated that the next phase “has already begun.”

“Equipment and software are being installed, and staff is being reduced through attrition and transfer.”