CADIZ — Harrison County will soon receive upgrades to its 911 system that will help improve communications and dispatch services.

Harrison County Commissioners Don Bethel, Dale Norris and Paul Coffland signed an agreement between the county and Motorola Services on Wednesday to purchase upgrades for its Next Generation 911 system. The total cost for the upgrades is a little more than $400,000 which will come from the county’s 911 funds.

“Everything is paid for out of the 911 funds, the surcharges and levy. This is not coming out of the general fund,” Coffland said.

In signing the contract prior to the end of the year, the county was able to save about $63,000, Coffland said. He noted the upgrades will include new equipment for the sheriff’s future office location at the former SSG George J. Conaway U.S. Army Reserve Center.

The sheriff’s department is working toward transitioning its office to the new facility. Although the proposed jail at the same site is not set to be under construction until late 2021 or early 2022, the sheriff’s department plans to move into the new location much sooner. The Army Reserve Center building will house the sheriff’s department while a new jail facility will be built behind the center.

Coffland said the equipment will provide better service and communications.

“The new equipment is for dispatchers and MARCS radio systems. It will also allow us to have an additional dispatcher when needed. Currently we only have two dispatchers on shift at a time,” he said. “This new setup will allow a third dispatcher to come in in order to direct police, fire and EMS where they are needed.”

Sheriff Ronald “Joe” Myers said the purchase of the new equipment will allow the county to have a secondary dispatch location in case something were to happen and knock out the signal.

The new equipment will be installed at the future sheriff’s department while the county’s current system will act as the backup at its current location inside the Court Street office in Cadiz.

Myers said he is unsure of an exact date when the office will make the transition to the new building, however it will be sometime in the coming year.

Coffland said officials are hoping to have the upgrades installed by June.

The commissioners’ next regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 10 a.m Monday instead of Wednesday due to the coming Christmas holiday.