The Ellis County Press: ECSO sub-station stir

ECSO sub-station stir
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Editor on 09/25/2008 17:14:00


Deputies and law enforcement officials alike are grumbling about Ellis County
Sheriff Ray Stewart's latest plan that calls for patrol deputies to drive to
Waxahachie every day before being dispatched to one of several sub-stations
scattered in the county.
"We moved everyone to the central sub-station near the old [Superconducting
SuperCollider] building," said Capt. Danny Williams of the ECSO.
"We will still use the sub-stations when needed, but we did this for a few
reasons. Shift sergeants can have better briefings, and pass on information
better, as well as the units being closer to the shop."
Williams said the plan will save on fuel costs, keeping units from running to
the shop, and provide technological relief.
"Before it was taking deputies out of their district just to change cars around
when oil changes were needed , tires fixed, [ectera]," Williams said. "But the
main reason is due to having problems downloading computer information from the
computers [and] video system.
"Everyone was having to go to one location to download, which was causing
deputies to leave their districts, as well as saving fuel. We did change some of
the hours on certain areas so that we would [have]someone on the street at ALL
[emphasis his] times."