Stonington - Police Chief J. Darren Stewart told some of the town's fire chiefs and ambulance company officials Thursday night that he would like to hire a dispatch supervisor and explore improvements in technology that could solve many of the dispatch problems they have complained about.

But Stonington Ambulance President Victor Lima said that while he commended Stewart for his suggestions, his organization will still shift its dispatch services from the police department to Groton Fire Alarm as of Jan. 1, 2010.

Stonington Ambulance is asking the town to pay $8,000 for the move in the first year and $5,000 in subsequent years. The police department provides dispatch services for free.

Lima also said it would cost $20,000 to switch all four of the remaining agencies now dispatched by the police department - Stonington Ambulance and the Stonington Borough, Quiambaug and Wequetequock fire departments - to Groton. First Selectman Ed Haberek said he has not had a chance to study all the potential costs of such a plan.

Lima said it would take much more money to implement Stewart's suggestions and they would not occur immediately. Meanwhile he said Groton has the proper equipment and staffing to serve the growing needs of the ambulance company.

"We can't wait any longer," he said.

Haberek set up the meeting and brought together police, town and borough officials and members of some of the town's fire departments and ambulance companies, including some that already use Groton Fire alarm.

"We have six fire departments, three ambulance companies, three dispatch centers and one police department and we all have to work together in an emergency," he told them. "My concern is the safety of residents and the quality of the response."

Stewart said the police department has never looked at the future of dispatch services and come up with a plan, something he is now doing.

"My plan is to work on this together. We can leave here tonight and each go to the Board of Finance (to request money). But if we go in together with a common goal we will succeed. If we go in individually it's a roll of the dice," he said.

Old Mystic Fire Chief Ken Richards, whose department has long used Groton, said he was impressed with Stewart's presentation, which he said was never done by past police chiefs. But he said Groton provides a higher level of dispatch service for fire and ambulance companies because that is what it focuses on.

Richards also said it makes fiscal sense to have the remaining four departments switch to Groton, which would allow police dispatchers to focus on police issues. He said that even if Stewart implemented his plan, his department would remain with Groton.

Although the Quiambaug fire department had said a few weeks ago that it would also like to make the move, fire district official Charles Beebe said Thursday night it is not considering the move at this time.

Borough Warden Donald Maranell said the borough fire department is satisfied with the dispatch services it receives from the police department.

j.wojtas@theday.com