A new computer-aided dispatch system for Vicksburg Warren E-911 could include access to warrants from justice court.

Sheriff Martin Pace, who is a member of the E-911 Commission, said the current system is not connected to justice court records when the commission met Wednesday at the Board of Supervisors office.

“We have the greatest opportunity that we’ve had to have some connection with justice court,” Pace said. “We have in the past not had any connectivity between the sheriff’s office and justice court.”

Access to city records is included in the current 911 system, but the only way to check justice court warrants and summonses is to call justice court between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Pace said.

“I think we could help them do their job better and I think it would be a better service to the public,” Pace said of including a link to justice court records.

“It would stop the dispatchers from having to stop what they’re doing and literally make a phone call. That’s what they’re having to do — pick up the phone, call justice court and wait for a call back,” he said.

Vicksburg Police Chief Walter Armstrong, also a member of the commission, said he supported adding justice court records.

“It only makes sense to do that in this day and time,” Armstrong said.

Marcie Southerland, the attorney for the commission and the Warren County Board of Supervisors, said she would discuss the idea with justice court officials.

“I think it’s a great idea, and I’m sure the judges (would support it),” said Southerland who was county prosecutor for 19 years.

For the records to be linked to the 911-system, someone at justice court would have to enter the records in real time, said Church Tate, interim director of the E-911 center.

“It’s going to take an electronic entry,” Tate said.

The computer-aided system is in the early stages of installation, said Tate, who was named interim director of the E-911 center after the commission dismissed Jason Tatum last month.

“We’re putting the system together. It’s actually over there right now,” Tate said.

The system is similar to what several of Warren County’s dispatchers have previously used, Tate said.

“I think it’s going to be a simple transition and we can end up training most of our own folks,” he said.

The commission also approved seeking five back-up radio frequencies from the Mississippi Wireless Integrated Network radio service to supplement the county’s current radio system.

Several spots in the county that are covered by the local radio system have no service from the statewide emergency radio, and several local areas covered by the statewide radio do not have reliable local radio service.

“I know that in a lot of instances we don’t have any coverage, and it’s a safety issue,” said Warren County Fire Coordinator Jerry Briggs.

The agreement with the state comes with five back-up frequencies at no cost to the county, Briggs said.