Metro names director of emergency group

RoxAnn L. Brown has been named to lead the consolidation of Metro's E-911 Emergency Services as director of emergency communications. She assumes the position this month.

Brown was selected after a national search to reorganize the operation of the emergency communications system as recommended by a performance audit released last year.

The selection team included Metro Police Chief Emmett Turner, Fire Chief Stephen Halford and Office of Emergency Management Director Jim Thacker.

As director of emergency communications, Brown will oversee an $8 million operation that answers approximately 360,000 calls and makes 750,000 dispatches each year. She will report to a board composed of the police chief, fire chief and director of the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management.

"Ms. Brown by far was the clear choice of the selection panel, and we are indeed fortunate to have her on Metro's management team," Halford said. "Not only is she an excellent system planner and manager, but also she evolved through the ranks of public safety communications and understands the duties and responsibilities of her subordinates at all levels."

The performance audit by Gartland Consulting said the division of responsibility between police and fire operations "leaves the potential for gaps in responsibility of the entire E-911 process of safely answering all calls in a timely manner."

Until this month, Brown served as a consultant to the Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency in Beaverton, Ore.

"Communications is an integral part of the Public Safety System," Brown said in a statement.