After many years of planning, discussion, and hard work, today marks a historic day for Whiteside County as we officially open our centralized 911 dispatch center, located at the Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office in Morrison. This milestone represents a major step forward in improving public safety services across the entire county.
For decades, efforts have been made to bring all emergency dispatch services under one roof to improve efficiency, communication, and response times. Today, that vision has become a reality.
Sheriff John F. Booker stated, “This is a proud day for Whiteside County. Bringing all dispatch operations together into one central hub at the Sheriff’s Office will better serve our citizens and our first responders. I want to thank everyone who worked tirelessly to make this happen staff, local officials, and our dedicated community members who supported this effort.
The new center was made possible thanks to the public safety tax overwhelmingly supported by the citizens of Whiteside County. This funding ensures the center has the resources it needs to operate at the highest standard and to serve the entire county effectively.
“I want to say thank you again to the people of Whiteside County,” Sheriff Booker added. “Your support of the public safety tax made this possible. You have invested in your own safety and in the safety of our first responders, and we are grateful. I also want to give a special thank-you to all of my employees. Your hard work, flexibility, and dedication have made this transition a success, and I’m proud of what we have accomplished together.”
The central dispatch center, now operating from the Sheriff’s Office, will handle all emergency calls countywide, streamlining communication and improving response times for police, fire, and EMS agencies
