With the Thermopolis Police Department critically short-staffed, the Park County Sheriff’s Office is helping the agency out by temporarily taking on some of the dispatching duties in Hot Springs County.

Since Monday evening, the sheriff’s office has been remotely handling Hot Springs County’s overnight calls for service, as the Thermopolis Police Department currently doesn’t have enough dispatchers to provide 24/7 coverage for the county.

Sheriff Darrell Steward said Tuesday that his office is doing what it can to help and “trying to share the burdens.”

It’s unclear how long the sheriff’s office will need to fill in for its southern neighbors. In a Tuesday night news release, the Town of Thermopolis said it’s implementing a “30–60–90 day forward action plan” with regular public updates.

The town’s release also reassured residents that, despite recent “staffing challenges,” 911 and other coverage remains active in Hot Springs County and has not been disrupted.

“I want our residents and their families to have confidence that emergency calls are being answered and public safety remains our highest priority,” Thermopolis Police Chief Pat Cornwell said in the release.

The town issued the statement during a Tuesday night council meeting, immediately after a closed door discussion between council members and Cornwell.

The statement acknowledged that “recent personnel departures have significantly reduced dispatch staffing,” but didn’t elaborate on the circumstances of the departures or the number of employees who remain in the town’s dispatch center. The Tribune wasn't able to connect with Cornwell for more details before press time.

A Sunday morning call for help

Park County Sheriff’s Office Communications Supervisor Monte McClain said he was called for assistance on Sunday morning; McClain said he was told that one of the Thermopolis Police Department’s dispatchers had just resigned from the already short-staffed agency, leaving only a couple other dispatchers on staff.

McClain spent a few hours on Sunday reconfiguring his communications center so that he and his eight dispatchers can handle Hot Springs County’s nighttime calls remotely.

“We are leveraging technology to allow us to provide temporary regional dispatch,” he said.

Though dispatching software places each caller’s location on a digital map, McClain has still been boning up on his Hot Springs County geography and street names so he’s better prepared to handle calls from the area. 

Working out an agreement

The sheriff’s office jumped in to help without a formal agreement, because McClain considered the situation to be an emergency. However, Thermopolis and Park County officials are currently working to formalize the arrangement in a memorandum of understanding.

Hot Springs County has a smaller population and, in turn, a smaller call load than Park County. However, if the sheriff’s office winds up having to bulk up its dispatch staffing because of the additional duties, Steward said they’ll have to seek compensation from Thermopolis and/or potentially see if other agencies can also help out.

“It just depends on how much time we have to dedicate to them,” the sheriff said, adding that, “we don’t want to stress our people too bad, either.”

In its news release, the Town of Thermopolis said the assistance provided by both the Park County and Hot Springs County sheriff’s offices has been “invaluable.”

Employees ‘under tremendous pressure’

The release added that the police department’s current personnel have been “working tirelessly to coordinate coverage, integrate communications systems, and ensure continuity of service.”

Town officials also said they’ve “identified opportunities to improve employee support, communication, and long-term staffing sustainability.”

“Our people have been working under tremendous pressure, and we owe them our support,” Thermopolis Mayor Adam Estenson said in the release. “We’re taking an honest look at where we can improve, listening to our employees, and putting a plan in place that strengthens both our team and the services our community depends on.”

After they exited their executive session, the council members unanimously passed a motion to use Park County’s communication personnel through a mutual aid agreement until an MOU is put together. 

Estenson then read the press release aloud, noting that both emergency and non-emergency calls placed to Thermopolis police and the Hot Springs County Sheriff’s Office will continue to be answered.

“You just may hear Park County on the other end for the time being,” he said.