By Hank Russell
The Town of East Hampton has formally completed the transition of primary 911 call answering to the East Hampton Town Police Department Dispatch Center.
As of 12:30 p.m. on January 26, 2026, Suffolk County Emergency 911 Coordinator and Emergency Communications Director Mike Postel facilitated the official cutover of primary 911 call answering from the Village of East Hampton to the town. In coordination with Suffolk County, Verizon, and Motorola, all incoming 911 calls from landlines located within the Town of East Hampton, outside of the Village of East Hampton, are now routed directly to Town Police Headquarters.
Landline calls originating within the Village of East Hampton and Sag Harbor Village will continue to route to Village Dispatch. All incoming 911 calls from cell phones will be answered by the town.
Effective February 1, 2026, the Town will assume responsibility for dispatching fire and EMS calls for the Sag Harbor and Springs Fire Departments. The town has held extensive meetings with fire district personnel and has ongoing communication with dispatch leadership to ensure continuity throughout this transition.
As previously reported in Long Island Life & Politics, the Village of Sag Harbor agreed to contract with the town for dispatch services, with rates starting at $134,047 in 2026 and rising modestly through 2030. In addition, the Springs Fire Department will now receive services at no cost, in contrast to their previous agreement with the Village of East Hampton.
LILP also reported that, last year, East Hampton Village proposed new contract terms that included a five-year agreement exceeding $1 million annually, followed by a ten-year proposal starting at $800,000 per year with automatic increases. The Town Board declined those offers, citing the high cost to the taxpayers.
Renovations and technology upgrades to the town’s dispatch center are expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
The town estimates its transition to full 911 call handling will save more than $2.5 million over the next decade, as previously reported by LILP.
“I could not be prouder of the town team that made this happen,” Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said. “When someone calls 911, they are counting on us in a moment that feels overwhelming. Residents will notice no difference when they call 911. A trained dispatcher will answer, and help will be sent right away.”
Chief of Police Michael D. Sarlo said, “We are extremely proud of the work done by our senior dispatch supervisors … Along with our senior staff, we remain committed to working directly with our Fire and EMS partners, as well as Village Dispatch supervision to make sure 911 calls are answered and dispatched efficiently and effectively. All of our Public Safety Dispatchers deserve credit for taking on these new responsibilities and embracing their role.”