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County 911 director resigns after controversy

The Capital Times  —  9/05/2008 12:43 pm

Joe Norwick, the embattled director of Dane County's 911 Center, has resigned effective Sept. 19.

Norwick came under heavy criticism this summer following the revelation that the 911 Center had received a call from Brittany Zimmermann just prior to her murder on April 2. Although the call came in, it was disconnected, and dispatchers did call back, so police were not dispatched to Zimmermann's apartment on Doty Street until after her death. There have been no arrests in the case.

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk apologized to Zimmermann's fiance and family after the revelation, saying county policy should have required the dispatchers to call back. Though reluctant at first, Norwick eventually did the same.

In the months since then, Falk has pushed to add staff to the 911 Center, but has not publicly criticized Norwick.

In announcing his resignation in a news release Friday, Falk credited Norwick for initiating a number of technology upgrades in the 911 Center and for coordinating implementation of a new emergency radio system that will serve law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services across the county. The release says nothing about the uproar over the Zimmermann phone call.

"I thank director Norwick for his service and the enhancements he embarked upon as director of the Public Safety Communications Center," Falk said in the news release.

Norwick, a former chief deputy for the Dane County Sheriff's Office, has been 911 director since July 2007.

Falk has named Kathy Krusiec to be the interim director of the 911 Center. Krusiec is the director of Dane County's Emergency Management Department and will not seek the 911 Center post on a permanent basis, Falk said.

Dave Janda, deputy director of emergency management for the past 10 years, will coordinate day-to-day operations of the Emergency Management Department.

The Capital Times  —  9/05/2008 12:43 pm