By John McCallum
Editor 

Cheney council OKs two ACCESS contracts

Memorandum of understandings with Airway Heights, Kalispell police departments help recoup lost EWU dispatch revenue

 

Last updated 2/11/2016 at 10:33am



Thanks to three contracts for data storage, the Cheney Police Department has almost made back the money lost when the Eastern Washington University Police Department decided to part ways with the city regarding dispatch services.

At it’s Feb. 9 meeting, the Cheney City Council approved memorandums of understanding with two West Plains law enforcement agencies to provide ACCESS system services. ACCESS allows agencies to store, track and retrieve documents such as court warrants and protection orders, stolen vehicle records, outstanding arrest warrants, missing person reports and other qualified data.

Cheney Police Chief John Hensley told the council that main difference in the contract with the Airway Heights Police Department from previous contracts was there was no provision for Cheney to store data. All that Communication’s Department personnel would be doing would be entering data into the statewide system.

The city also entered into a new contract to provide ACCESS services to the Kalispell Tribe of Indians Police. Hensley said that two years ago, Airway Heights had entered into a contract allowing the tribe to use their system, but found out that the workload was more complex in nature due to the type of individuals who often frequent Northern Quest Resort and Casino.

Hensley said some of these individuals have outstanding warrants or other court-ordered conditions. Under the MOU, Cheney will be providing only warrant service and no contact orders.

The $17,000 annual contract with Airway Heights, together with the $12,000 contract with the Kalispells and a $20,400 contract signed in January for ACCESS services to EWU amount to a total of $49,400 to the city coffers. While not quite the over $90,000 the city lost when EWU elected to take its dispatch services contract to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, Hensley said it is making up some of the difference.

“We’re not made whole, but we’re pretty close, and I think that’s pretty good news,” he said.

Also at the meeting, which featured an agenda of 12 action items, the council conducted a public hearing on a request for vacation of a portion of Fern Street’s right-of-way. The section of Fern is east of First Street between an alley and Railroad Avenue.

Public Works Director Todd Ableman said the city would still retain an easement around a water main that is in the right of way..

John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.

Author Bio

John McCallum, Retired editor

John McCallum is an award-winning journalist who retired from Cheney Free Press after more than 20 years. He received 10 Washington Newspaper Publisher Association awards for journalism and photography, including first place awards for Best Investigative, Best News and back-to-back awards in Best Breaking News categories.

 

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