TODAY......

This is the way Tri Com looks today.  We still employ 11 dispatchers, 3 supervisors, 1 training coordinator and 2 administrators.

.....until August 2005

Today, Tri Com employs 11 dispatchers, 3 supervisors, 1 training coordinator and 2 administrators.  All information is handled by a sophisticated computer dispatch system that keeps track of units, stores records and analyzes data.  Tri Com also has a phone computer system that logs all calls that come in to the center.  The total number of calls for service for 2003 was 82,283

...THEN

Today marks Tri-Com's 6th Birthday

St. Charles Chronicle, Batavia Chronicle, Geneva Chronicle 

By  Ann Pierotti

Friday, May 28, 1982

Jerald Bleck has a look of satisfaction on his face when he discusses Tri-Com.  Today is the emergency dispatch center's sixth anniversary.  Tri-Com is zooming into the computer age and through Bleck's efforts private enterprise is footing the bill.  The computer aided dispatch system (CAD) is the most up-to-date of its kind, Bleck said.  The idea to use computers in the dispatch communications field seemed like a natural one because of the 100 square miles Tri-Com covers.  Bleck said the idea took root in 1978, but the $100,000 cost was prohibitive.  "We received federal grants in 1979 and 1980, but the grants have stopped now," he said.  "In September of 1980, we got the idea that the burglar and fire alarm industry might be interested in funding the project.  So we went to private industry to help us."  Bleck decided to ask whether a private alarm firm was interested in a simple swap - supply the needed computer equipment free, in return for subscribers paying to use that firm's alarm system.  "Within the three towns there are about 400 fire and burglar alarms in use.  We had never charged anyone to service the alarms or for monitoring the alarm system," Bleck said.  In November 1980, bids were taken from three interested firms.  The lowest bidder was Alarm Detection Systems in Aurora.  The new system cost subscribers $10.50 per month, an increase of $2.50.  

There are many advantages to being computerized, Bleck said.  "The three towns are broken down into zones and their streets and intersections are programmed into the memory," he explained.  This "geo-coding" helps to locate places automatically.  Bleck said that during an emergency, someone could give an erroneous address or location.  The computer would instantly know whether such a location exists. "The computer also will eliminate steps which each dispatcher must do manually now to expedite calls.  The new alarm system and computers will work in tandem to provide information on which alarm needs assistance and which police unit can respond to the call.  The three computers also keep statistical records calls, where officers are dispatched, and the amount of time spent.  The records will provide for more effective patrols, Bleck said.  Another function of the new system will be complete filing of warrants and arrests.  The computers will take over the LEADS system, which finds license information for officers during traffic stops.  A machine leased for this purpose from Western Union will no longer be needed and will save Tri-Com $50 a month, he said.    Subscribers can benefit directly from the new system, too.  "We couldn't get UL (Underwriters' Laboratories) approval in the past because of the old telephone hook up," Bleck said.  "With the new computers, the system is changed and we have approval.  Subscribers can get better insurance rates with the approval." 

Tri-Com began operating in May 1976 after the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration, a federal grant program, commissioned the Illinois Institute of Technology to do a study of Kane County to determine the need for the service.  The tri-cities was one of the five areas cited for grant money to develop the dispatch system.  Because of various grants made available to Tri-Com, the tri-cities had to invest only 5 percent of the $500,000 cost.  The money to pay salaries of Tri-Com employees each year is divided among Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles based on each cities use of the service.  Last year, Tri-Com handled 34,500 calls.  Of these, Geneva's percentage was 25.48; Batavia 27.39; St. Charles 41.32; and Kane County Ambulance 5.81.  The cities will pay accordingly, Bleck said.  "This is the fairest way to do it," he explained.  "Then each city only pays for what it's getting.  If it was paid by population some might have a large community, but will still pay out of proportion to its use." Bleck said plans for Tri-Com future include moving to a larger facility if possible.  "I'd like to move to larger quarters.  We're running out of room here.  I'd like to relocate out in the new Public Works facility on South Street.  This would put us closer to the tower (Tri-Com) and save money on the remote telephone hookup."  Tri-Com now is housed in the Geneva Police Department facility on First Street.  Another reason for a larger facility is the possibility of West Chicago joining the dispatch service.  The city has shown interest recently in having its fire department added to Tri-Com. The addition would mean adding new equipment, for which there is little space now, Bleck said, and hiring two more dispatchers because of the city's size.  

Bleck was a dispatcher for Geneva and Batavia before the creation of Tri-Com.  In the 60's he was the civil defense director in Geneva.  He received an associate's degree in law enforcement from Waubonsee College and a degree from Aurora College in criminal justice.  "I was always interested in public safety. I guess I got involved because of my two-way radio hobby. I used to talk to friends over the radio and in 1966 we organized a civil defense program and offered it to the police for assistance.  They said yes and everything seemed to evolve from that."          

Tri-Com

B911 

                                                                     IBT Telephone Equipment

                    96 Megabyte CAD Computer    IBT Cable Facilities                     

Cable Security Enclosure

Tri Com was officially opened on July 4, 1976 after it was decided that the cities of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia would be best served by combining their resources into a multi-jurisdictional dispatch center.  The staffing originally consisted of 9 dispatchers and 1 administrator.  At that time, Tri Com used a series of punch cards where all information from traffic stops to calls from the public were handwritten and time stamped in a time clock.  In 1976 the total number of calls for service was 25,241.