The Jeff Davis Parish Police Jury agreed Wednesday to advertise for a 911 director who will serve as a parish employee under a plan to revamp the local emergency 911 system.

The director will oversee the operations of the parish’s E-911 system and supervise the other 911 employees as an employee of the police jury, according to Police Jury President Steve Eastman. The 911 director is currently an employee of the sheriff’s office.

“Moving that person under the police jury umbrella allows us to control what is happening with 911 and making sure that the calls are being handled properly and the people are being trained,” Eastman said.

The police jury agreed to keep the current interim 911 director for 90 days and seek applicants for the position. It hopes to hire someone by Nov. 1, according to 911 Committee Chairman Marcus Peterson.

“This puts more accountability on the 911 director and system,” Eastman said. “The 911 director has also been issuing 911 addresses and unfortunately, the director was also having to work the phones. If she is working a night shift, then the next day she has to be off. She can’t come into work and function.”

The process has caused delays in the parish issuing new 911 addresses, he said.

The director has also had to back the switchboard up, but that person can’t be the only back up, Eastman said.

“There has to be other people out there,” he said. “…. I feel we should be able to hire enough employees. I know it’s a very difficult job and I understand that, but I think if you pay those people will come to work.”

The Police Jury and Sheriff Kyle Miers also agreed to change the way the interim director will be paid for the next 90 days.

The director is currently an employee of the sheriff’s office with the salary split evenly, 50-50, between the police jury and sheriff’s office.

Under the change, the police jury will pay 60 percent of the director’s salary with the sheriff’s office paying 40 percent. Once the next director is hired, the police jury will pay the full salary with the sheriff’s office providing a vehicle.

Eastman said local residents pay a 911 fee on their monthly phone bills which is used for operations of the 911 system, including salaries and equipment.

The police jury and sheriff’s office will continue to split the cost share of eight 911 employees with each entity paying 100 percent of the salary for four employees.

The police jury is also working on creating a job description for the director and dispatchers to include increased training for employees.