Murfreesboro Police Department is upgrading its services, while saving resources at the same time.
Police Chief Glenn Chrisman presented a plan to the Murfreesboro City Council Thursday night to create a Teleserve Section.
“This section would handle different types of calls for service via the telephone and in-person with walk-in complaints to include written reports,” Chrisman explained.
The section will be staffed with “limited duty” police officers, who will take police reports for complaints that don’t require an on-site visit. The section will be located on the first floor of the main police building.
“We think it will allow us to provide fast service to our citizens and frankly just use our resources more effectively,” Chrisman said.
The total start-up cost will be $12,250 for materials and supplies.
Council also accepted an Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant for more than $130,500 that will be shared between Rutherford County, Murfreesboro, Smyrna and La Vergne.
Part of the stimulus funds are intended to install a video conferencing system on the Fourth Floor of the Rutherford County Judicial Building to conduct video conferencing from the jail, which would therefore reduce congestion in the Judicial Building, as well as gasoline cost for the Sheriff's Department.
The city is also continuing its partnership with the county in the Rutherford County Emergency Communications District to provide 911 callers with swift service.
Under the interlocal agreement, Murfreesboro will provide 911 service and dispatch Rutherford County Sheriff’s Deputies to calls in the county.
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The council also approved an applicationfor $961,100 in federal stimulus funds to develop an energy conservation strategy and make city hall more energy efficient, Murfreesboro spokesman Chris Shofner said.
“Obviously if we improve cost savings on energy efficiency in the building, it translates into savings for the taxpayer and reduces our carbon footprint which is one of the goals of the program,” he said.
The program is the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, which provides funds to local governments to improve energy efficiency in buildings like Murfreesboro City Hall.
A Tennessee Valley Authority Audit found “improvements that could be made to reduce City Hall’s energy demand,” like upgrading the 18-year-old heating and air conditioning system, better lighting and even installing solar panels on the roof, Shofner said.
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Council also approved a contract with the Tennessee Department of Transportation to resurface Thompson Lane from NW Broad Street to Old Fort Parkway. The project will be funded by stimulus money.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com.
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