Colorado Springs Moves to Exit Regional 911 Authority
The city says it will keep about $4 million in 911 surcharge revenue, setting up a months-long dispute over how services and funding will be split.
Overview
- City officials announced on Monday that Colorado Springs intends to withdraw from the El Paso Teller County 911 Authority and create a standalone city 911 authority.
- The city published an estimate that it would retain roughly $4 million in local 911 surcharge revenue if it leaves, a figure regional leaders say cannot yet be verified.
- EPTC-911 executives say exact revenue shares are unknown because telecom surcharges are sent to the combined authority without a locality breakdown, and officials expect reconciliation to take months.
- At the authority’s Wednesday board meeting members said they were shocked by the announcement, Colorado Springs Deputy Chief Jeff Jensen stepped down as board chair, and a subcommittee was formed to plan next steps.
- EPTC-911 provides shared training, quality assurance and mapping services rather than running dispatch centers, and board members warned that losing Colorado Springs could create real funding and staffing risks for those regional services.