FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A 25-year employee has been selected to fill the role as Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications director. Kris Inman, who currently serves as the department’s training and education manager, will lead the 70-employee department starting May 24.
“What a spectacular opportunity this is to get to lead such a talented group of dedicated public safety professionals, particularly given my history of sitting right where they sit, doing the same job they do,” Inman said. “I’m humbled and immensely proud to become the first former dispatcher here to advance to the position of director, and I love the message it sends to our staff.”
Inman joined the department in 1994 as a telecommunicator. He was promoted to the position of acting supervisor/certified trainer in 1997, to supervisor in 2003 and to training and education manager in 2012.
Inman’s accomplishments include creating and implementing a state-recognized departmental training and continuing education program and managing the department’s first full accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).
In 2014, Inman was awarded the George Major Trainer of the Year Award at the Missouri chapter of the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials annual conference. He is an adjunct instructor for Missouri State University, teaching public speaking. He has a bachelor of science degree in electronic media and a master of arts in communication, both from MSU.
“Kris will be a great addition to our management team! He is bright, articulate and brings a wealth of energy and experience. We are very excited to see the organizational benefits his leadership will bring,” said City Manager Jason Gage.
Inman’s salary will be $100,000 per year.
About Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications
In 2019, Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications received more than 267,000 9-1-1 emergency calls, with over 84% of those calls coming from a wireless device. These numbers continue to increase each year.
Text-to-911 capability was formally implemented in 2018 for those rare cases when people are unable to communicate audibly. The department received approximately 35 text-to-911 calls each month in the past year.
Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications dispatches for 13 fire agencies and nine law enforcement agencies:
- Ash Grove Fire Protection District
- Battlefield Fire Protection District
- Bois D’Arc Fire Protection District
- Brookline Fire Protection District
- Ebenezer Fire Protection District
- Fair Grove Fire Protection District
- Logan-Rogersville Fire Protection District
- Republic Fire Department
- Springfield Fire Department
- Strafford Fire Protection District
- Walnut Grove Fire Protection District
- West Republic Fire Protection District
- Willard Fire Protection District
- Ash Grove Police Department
- Battlefield Police Department
- Fair Grove Police Department
- Greene County Sheriff’s Office
- Republic Police Department
- Springfield Police Department
- Strafford Police Department
- Walnut Grove Police Department
- Willard Police Department.
In addition, Springfield-Greene County 9-1-1 Emergency Communications receives the initial 9-1-1 calls for medical assistance that are transferred to CoxHealth or Mercy Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for dispatch.
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For more information, please contact Melissa Haase, assistant director of Public Information and Civic Engagement, at 417-536-7648 or [email protected].