As of 7 a.m. this morning all of the Grass Valley Police Department’s dispatching services have been  switched over to a countywide dispatch center operated by the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office.  The consolidation   is expected to save Grass Valley about $100,000 dollars a year.  Grass Valley Police Captain Rex Marks says the consolidation brings  some changes to the way the public interacts with Grass Valley PD.

click to hear Captain Rex Marks

There is  a phone in the  lobby of the Grass Valley Police Department  allowing for direct contact to the new regional dispatch center, and when people call the main business line for the Grass Valley Police Department, an automated attendant system will direct their call.
Grass Valley automated phone recording

The Nevada County Sheriff’s office now handles police  dispatch services for  all police agencies in Nevada County including Grass Valley, Nevada City and the Town of Truckee.  Sheriff Keith Royal in bringing together the consolidation said it will  generate some $600,000 in combined savings and will allow his office to keep open the Jail in Truckee  which is used by multiple agencies,  and allow additional staff to be put on the street  in a time when they would have to eliminate staff.