By Rossilynne Skena Culgan, Pittsburgh Tribune Review

Two weeks after Westmoreland County emergency dispatchers began fielding Murrysville’s police calls, county and municipal officials agree the switch went smoothly.

“It was such a transparent change. The officers, from what I’m hearing, are very happy with the change. They didn’t miss a beat,&quote; said Dan Stevens, spokesman for Westmoreland County Emergency Management. “Everything is just going as it was in the past.”

Murrysville police Chief Tom Seefeld asked residents to dial 9-1-1 in emergencies. However, if they call the police department’s local number “724-327-2111” the call will be forwarded to 9-1-1, he said.

Non-emergency calls, such as those seeking copies of a police report or directions, should be directed to the department’s administrative assistants at 724-327-2100, ext. 200, he said. Those calls will be fielded from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays until Jan. 2, when the hours will be expanded to 6 a.m. until midnight.

Since the Dec. 2 transition, the changeover has gone “very well,” Seefeld said. “(We’re) still in a settling-in period.”

Murrysville police advised county officials of the municipality’s procedures and how it handles calls.

“No big deal, and they’ve been extremely receptive,” Seefeld said.

Joining the 9-1-1 system was free.

Police updated decals on department cruisers with the phone number, added a call box outside the department to connect to 9-1-1 and updated building security systems.

Two of Murrysville’s five in-house dispatchers retired and three are serving as police office assistants.

Additional staff members are being hired at the county dispatch center in Hempfield, but it’s not directly related to Murrysville joining the center, Stevens said.

“It’s a little more work for our people here, but it’s the nature of the beast,” he said. “We’re happy that Murrysville came on and had the confidence in Westmoreland County.”

Throughout the discussion of the switch, Seefeld said the county center is “above us in technology and equipment. … We can’t keep up with that.”

Seefeld said police have not heard feedback from the public about the transition, and he urged any residents with concerns or questions to call him.

Two municipalities in the county, North Huntingdon and Greensburg, continue to dispatch in-house. Greensburg fields calls for the city as well as South Greensburg and Southwest Greensburg.

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