Ascension Parish Sheriff Jeff Wiley and the Department of Public Safety entered into a cooperative endeavor agreement towards the purchase of new technology improvements for the future 911 communications center.

According to Sheriff Wiley, the grant will be used to purchase equipment for the new 911 center that will break ground in the first quarter of 2016 on 2.2 acres of the former All-Star Ford site on Airline Highway in Gonzales.

Sheriff Wiley added that the grant funds could not be possible without State Representative Johnny Berthelot and Fire Marshal Butch Browning.

Presently, the dispatch center is limited to seven consoles. The new 911 center will have ten consoles with a larger work space and room for future growth. Additionally, the current dispatch center will serve as a backup for catastrophic events.

“Ascension Parish is growing and it is vital that we keep up with new technology that will improve the way our communications center works,” said Sheriff Wiley.