Hoboken, N.J. to merge police, fire and EMS dispatch; five police officers promoted

HOBOKEN, N.J. — The City of Hoboken and the Hoboken Department of Public Safety announced plans Friday, Oct. 23, to merge the city’s police, fire and emergency medical services (EMS) dispatch operations into one location, while the Hoboken Police Department promoted five officers during a ceremony at City Hall.

Over the coming months, emergency communications personnel will begin cross-training to handle calls across all three public safety divisions, according to a city press release. The city said bringing dispatchers together in one dedicated location is meant to improve coordination, reduce response times when multiple agencies are needed at the same call, and cut future costs through attrition as vacancies from retirements or resignations are not backfilled.

How 9-1-1 calls are routed now

Under Hoboken’s current structure, 9-1-1 calls are answered first by an outside dispatch center before being rerouted to local dispatchers with the Hoboken Police Department (HPD), the Hoboken Fire Department (HFD) or EMS depending on the call.

The city said it hopes to build on the dispatch merger and eventually establish a centralized emergency communications center where all emergency calls would be received in Hoboken and dispatched directly, without first routing through an outside dispatch center.

“This is an important step toward strengthening communication and coordination among our public safety divisions and making the best possible use of our resources,” Mayor Emily B. Jabbour said in the release. “I’m grateful to all of our emergency services and Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante for working together toward making our system more efficient, and ultimately, help save lives.”

“In medical emergencies, fires, and crimes in progress, every second counts so ensuring these incidents can be reported with just one phone call, will help improve response times and save lives,” Public Safety Director Ken Ferrante said in the announcement. “This is also a significant step towards modernizing our decades-old emergency communications structure, streamlining operations, and reducing costs by making better use of our existing public safety resources.”

The city’s announcement did not give a timeline or cost estimate for the dispatch consolidation, name the single location, or estimate how much attrition would save.

Five Hoboken police officers promoted

Also Friday, the Hoboken Police Department promoted five officers during a ceremony at City Hall to backfill open supervisory positions:

• Promoted to Lieutenant: Sgt. Roary Miller
• Promoted to Sergeant: Police Officers Ramon Calderon, Roberto Cuevas, Christopher Barral and Jesse Castellano

“These superior officers have demonstrated their commitment to Hoboken and its residents through years of hard work and dedication,” Police Chief Steven Aguiar said in the release. “They are much needed in these positions and have earned the responsibility to take on these leadership roles. I’m confident they will continue to serve the residents of Hoboken with pride and professionalism.”

The city said the newly promoted sergeants will remain active in the field, respond to calls for service, supervise officers directly and maintain a visible presence in the community. Filling open supervisory positions is also expected to reduce overtime costs by cutting the extra hours current sergeants work to cover staffing gaps, according to the release.

In addition to Friday’s promotions, the city said HPD is hiring three new police officers who are currently attending the Hudson County Police Academy. Those recruits are expected to graduate and join the department in March 2027, when they will begin field training.

Hudson TV asks: Should Hoboken build its own centralized 9-1-1 center so emergency calls don’t route through an outside dispatch center first, or keep the current setup? Share your take in the comments.

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