MODESTO — The future of emergency dispatch services in Stanislaus County remains uncertain.

Sheriff Jeff Dirkse’s efforts to partner with the city of Ceres on a new cloud-based dispatch center survived another round of debate with the Board of Supervisors.

After a 75-minute presentation by Dirkse and his team, and a nearly two-hour back-and-forth with the board, the supervisors begrudgingly voted 3-2 Tuesday to allow the sheriff and Ceres more time to crunch the numbers and bring back a more detailed financial picture regarding the proposed computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system.

Currently, the Sheriff’s Office is part of the Joint Powers Authority that utilizes the SR911 dispatch center, which services multiple county agencies.

The city of Modesto’s police and fire departments, also part of that JPA, are looking to switch to the CentralSquare CAD system. Dirkse said he feels CentralSquare is inadequate for his department’s needs. In addition to dispatch services, the sheriff also has to integrate a record-management system (RMS) and the jail-management system (JMS). 

“I do not intend to stay there,” said Dirkse, referring to the JPA.

Dirkse wants to go with software giant Oracle, which is looking to enter the law enforcement space and came searching for a partner in California.

The switch to Oracle, which says it will tailor its product to fit the specific needs of Dirkse’s office, would bring about an $11.6 million savings to the county, according to Dirkse.

Apart from that, Dirkse said, the system would go a long way in helping deputies do their jobs, resulting in added safety for them and the public.

Dirkse has made it known that should the board force his hand, he’d consider moving ahead with suing the county.

The Turlock Police Department currently uses the CentralSquare CAD system and, according to Mayor Amy Bublak, is unhappy with it.

“We’re having a tremendous problem with CentralSquare, so we’re trying to find some new options,” said Bublak, a former police officer. “I came here with an expectation that you guys might say, ‘Hey, let’s explore this and see what happens.’”

Monez sees pros and cons with the Oracle system.

“Clearly, there was a lot of talk for it and against it,” said Monez. “We have a lot of homework to do.”

Supervisor Channce Condit, whose District 5 includes the city of Ceres, was the most vocal in his support of moving ahead with more exploration.

“I don’t see any problem allowing the sheriff to establish a plan and to also allow him to negotiate and see what he can come back with,” said Condit. “But, again, it is about efficiency, it’s about safety, it’s about listening to our law enforcement officials to see what’s best for them… I just think it is in our best interest as a board, and as the county, to allow this to proceed forward to see what comes back. And I will be the first to oppose this if he brings us back something that is faulty, or doesn’t add up.”

Mani Grewal, whose District 4 includes the city of Modesto, engaged in the longest back-and-forth with Dirkse and raised serious concerns, but eventually voted with Condit and Terry Withrow (District 3). Vito Chiesa (District 2) and Buck Condit (District 1) were in opposition.

Daniel Phillips, union president for local dispatchers, spoke in opposition of Oracle. Phillips and other dispatchers weren’t impressed with Oracle when it tested the system in November 2023.

“When I first got to Stanislaus Regional 911, a sheriff’s lieutenant took me aside and told me about Oracle,” said Phillips. “I was sold. Then they installed it on a terminal at SR911 to let us mess with it, and I was very underwhelmed.”

Sheriff’s Deputy Capt. Tori Hughes, however, pointed out that the version that SR911 dispatchers test-drove 15 months ago wasn’t the same version that exists today.

“They (SR911) were never supposed to be in the system at that moment,” said Hughes. “… the configuration hadn’t taken place. So the system, of course, on their end was going to look completely different because it had never been configured properly. Therefore, it didn’t look like it worked because were in the early stages of design and communication.”

Ceres Mayor Javier Lopez and Vice Mayor Daniel Martinez, along with Capt. Trent Johnson of the Ceres Police Department, were on hand at the meeting.

“I know the numbers look fantastic,” said Martinez. “They haven’t been vetted by the city of Ceres yet, but if those align after our staff has an opportunity to research it, then this is a slam dunk, and I don’t see why this partnership with the city of Ceres wouldn’t work out.”