SPRINGFIELD – Efforts to consolidate emergency dispatch services in Illinois led to the passage of a state law last year requiring dispatch agencies serve at least 25,000 residents. The new law was meant to ensure all communities have access to responsive emergency services while providing efficiencies for taxpayers.

For the Village of Deerfield, which already operated a consolidated emergency dispatch service with neighboring Bannockburn and Riverwoods before the state law, the minimum population requirement would require additional consolidation and cost to the community.

State Senator Julie Morrison (D – Deerfield) passed a proposal out of a Senate committee this week that would allow the Village of Deerfield more time to comply with the new state law.

“The intent of the consolidation effort last year was to ensure agencies were providing responsive services in an efficient way,” Morrison said. “The Village of Deerfield was ahead of the curve when consolidating their 911 call center with Bannockburn and Riverwoods.”

Currently, the consolidated emergency dispatch agency serving the three communities serves 23,619 residents. The population figures are based on 2010 census information, however, and don’t take into effect increases in construction and daytime population for the area.

“Our service area includes a large number of major corporations that bring in an estimated 12,000 workers each day,” Deerfield Police Chief John Sliozis said. “We are not objecting to consolidation, as our history has proven.”

Senate Bill 461 passed the Energy and Public Utilities Committee on Thursday and now heads to the Senate floor for further debate.