East Hampton Set To Handle All 911 Calls Townwide, Starting In 2026

EAST HAMPTON, NY —Changes are coming for the 911 system in East Hampton Town.

The Town of East Hampton announced recently that it will assume full responsibility for answering all incoming 911 calls townwide beginning January 1, 2026, following the conclusion of a longstanding arrangement with the Village of East Hampton.

For decades, East Hampton Village was the primary public safety answering point, with the town the secondary PSAP, officials said.

That arrangement had the village answering all 911 calls originating within the town and forwarding police-related calls to the town’s dispatch center — at no cost to the town, officials said. As a Primary PSAP, the village also held dispatch contracts with the fire and EMS districts such as Montauk, Amagansett, Springs and Sag Harbor as well as with the town’s Northwest Fire Protection District and the Water Supply and Fire Protection District.

In 2025 the two town fire protection district contracts totaled $3,764,268, officials stated.

"This long-standing arrangement between the town and village has served the community well since 1989," town officials said in a release. "However, in February of this year, the village proposed a new five-year contract for the transfer of all police-related calls at a cost of more than $1 million. The town rejected that proposal, and on April 25, the village proposed a 10-year contract beginning at $800,000 with a 3 percent increase for future years, which the town also rejected. After months of negotiations failed to result in a mutually beneficial agreement, the town has made the request of Suffolk County to become the Primary PSAP for the Town of East Hampton, with all wireless calls and town resident landline calls routed into the East Hampton Town dispatch center," officials said.

Given the increase in the town’s year-round population and the "proliferation of accidental cellphone 911 calls, our analysis has determined that it is time for the town to serve as the Primary PSAP for the entire East Hampton service area, officials said, adding that the new arrangement would conservatively save town taxpayers more than $2.5 million over 10 years.

"Ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents is our highest priority," said East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. "By bringing 911 call answering under the town’s operations, we are committed to providing reliable and seamless emergency response services. Residents can be assured that when they dial 911, their calls will be handled promptly and professionally, with no change to their experience."

East Hampton Village Mayor Jerry Larsen did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The town has been working for several years to increase public safety dispatcher staffing from 12 to 14, with a goal of reaching 17 dispatchers, officials said. In April, five new dispatchers were hired as part of that effort. Last year, the town board hired LKMA to provide engineering design to renovate the dispatch room.

In addition, the town is working closely with Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services to ensure that the needed software and mapping systems are in place to support effective regional coordination, officials said.

Those efforts build on the town’s "substantial investment" in a modernized emergency communications network, officials said. Funded by the town at no cost to other agencies, the $12 million upgrade, initiated in 2017, supports East Hampton Town Police, East Hampton Village Police, Sag Harbor Village Police, and the East Hampton, Amagansett, Montauk, Springs, and Sag Harbor Fire Departments and Ambulance Companies, officials said. The enhancements have "significantly strengthened coordination and communication among emergency responders across the region," a release said.

Officials noted that there have been inquiries made to the town by some of the fire districts regarding the potential for East Hampton Town police dispatch to provide full ire and EMS dispatch services beginning in 2026.

The town is currently evaluating those requests and assessing what would be required to provide such services, including coordination with state and county agencies that oversee 911 call routing and emergency communications, officials said.

"There will be no change in the public’s experience when dialing 911," said East Hampton Town Police Chief Michael Sarlo. "Your call will still be answered quickly and professionally, and we’ll work diligently to maintain the same high level of response. The safety of our residents and visitors remains our highest priority. With the additional staffing and improved infrastructure, our department is well-prepared to ensure a seamless transition."

While the town will assume responsibility for 911 call answering, coordination with fire and EMS districts will continue; all existing communication protocols remain in place, and the town remains committed to close collaboration with its emergency service partners, officials said.