911 Operations Manager Fired

The man recently hired to handle the day-to-day operations of Hamilton County's 911 Center has been fired.

Part of Dennis Norwood's duties were to supervise the unification of all services at the center, which was scheduled to be finished this fall.

Just a couple years ago we all learned about problems with unanswered 911 calls, not enough dispatchers and too many agencies working under different sets of rules. It was Norwood's job to make sure those problems don't happen again.

911 Communications District Director John Stuermer had to let Operations Manager Dennis Norwood go based on some events that surfaced recently.

"And so the fact that it wasn't the position for him, didn't work out, yes it was disappointing," Stuermer said Tuesday afternoon.

Norwood was hired just a few months ago after working in the Chattanooga Police Department and was still under a six-month probation period.

"Due to things I had knowledge of, and performance and stuff we decided it wasn't in the best interest to continue his employment," Stuermer added.

Stuermer declined to give specifics about Norwood's termination.

Norwood's departure could not have come at a worse time because the 911 Communications District is in the midst of a very exhaustive and complex process of consolidating all the emergency services at the 911 Center into one.

Up until this year the District was responsible for the building and equipment while personnel were part of the various countywide agencies. But now the District is responsible for the people who take calls and dispatch police and emergency services.

Norwood was in charge of a new team of eight people who will train and supervise the current and additional dispatchers needed to handle the call loads at the 911 Center. Part of the unification process is hiring at least 13 more call takers so that emergency calls are answered on time.

Existing dispatchers are being cross-trained to handle new, shared responsibilities. And there are a number of legal, personnel and technical issues that still need to be resolved.

"Mr. Norwood leaving the organization will have some impact on us, I mean it wouldn't be fair if I didn't say that," Stuermer said. "He played key roles in his position, but we've got some very qualified people that we've hired that were under him."

Stuermer said while there is still a lot to be done unification is on schedule, which he said will be completed in November.

And he will be looking for a new operations manager for the 911 Center.