New Orleans emergency response leaders discuss best practices for co-locating

For instance, the police department lets its dispatchers have their cell phones at work to play games, and they can also ask for permission to take calls. Conversely, the fire department does not allow its dispatchers to have cell phones in the workplace for any reason.

“We have had people get into serious trouble for it,” said Ireland.

In such cases, it is important that each agency enforce its policies fairly and consistently, said Hargrove.

“You cannot be lax on a policy, because it can cause confusion, and it is something that people will notice,” he said.

Perhaps the most important factor to successful co-locating is being unified when addressing PSAP employees and the public.

“We made a decision from the beginning that we were going to speak—the four agency heads—with one voice. We may get in a room and hash things out, but when we come out of the room, we speak with one voice,” Ireland said. “Anything that affects the PSAP—even as simple as bringing visitors in the center—all four of us have to agree.”