By Dennis Box-The Courier-Herald

The Bonney Lake Police Department is close to moving its police dispatch services to Puyallup.

The Sumner Police Department has provided dispatch services to Bonney Lake since October 2003 and the contract expires in June. All signs are pointing toward Bonney Lake taking its dispatch needs to the Puyallup Police Department.

Issues prompting the move are Sumner's ability to provide dispatch services to the city and the eventual move from VHF, a 150-megahertz frequency to 800 MHz.

The Homeland Security Department and the Department of Commerce have informed public agencies across the country they need to convert to the 700 or 800 MHz frequency band for dispatch services. The departments have set up a grant program to financially assist agencies making the move.

The other issue for Bonney Lake is that Sumner's dispatch center is down to five employees. Deputy Mayor Dan Swatman said the Sumner Police Department's ability to provide dispatch coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week is a concern.

“My priority now is getting our dispatch moved to Puyallup,” Swatman said. “The last thing we need are our officers running around without proper dispatch (services). We definitely have to provide a dispatch service and we're not getting it out of Sumner. We have to move as quickly as possible.”

At a Feb. 5 City Council workshop, Police Chief Mike Mitchell said, “our personnel in the police department on a daily basis ask me when are we going to change dispatch centers.”

Mitchell said talks are taking place with Sumner and Buckley concerning all the cities moving to Puyallup for dispatch services.

City Administrator Don Morrison said eventually Puyallup might become a regional dispatch center for Buckley, Bonney Lake, Sumner and Orting, but the first phase of talks are centered on setting up a contract for services for Bonney Lake. The next phase would be negotiating a joint or regional operation.

At the workshop, Mayor Neil Johnson said he had met with Sumner Mayor Dave Enslow and City Administrator John Doan.

“They want to move,” Johnson said. “But they want to move slower, which is not in the cards.”

Dennis Box can be reached at dbox@courierherald.com.