In November of 1990, the citizens of McDonough County passed a resolution approving the establishment of a 911 system. In January of 1991, the McDonough County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) was established with ten members representing public safety agencies and one member representing the residents of McDonough County. These members were tasked with procuring all of the elements of a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).
The Macomb/McDonough County Communications Center was formed by an Intergovernmental Agreement in 1993 between the Emergency Telephone System Board, the County of McDonough and the City of Macomb. The agreement formed a six member board called the Communications Board that would govern all employees of the Center and direct them in the manner in which they would work.
In 1995 the Macomb Police Department opened at its new location on South McArthur Street in Macomb which also contained the newly created Macomb/McDonough County Communications Center. The Center operated like this until December 1, 2016 when it merged with the Schuyler County Emergency Telephone System Board. This merger created the McDonough – Schuyler Joint ETSB.
The Macomb/McDonough County Communications Center is the emergency communications facility for public safety agencies that serve all of the citizens of McDonough County & Schuyler County. The Center answers and processes all administrative and emergency calls for service for McDonough County. The Center also answers and dispatches all emergency calls for service for Schuyler County. The Center also answers and transfers all wireless emergency calls for service from Henderson County.
