VIDEO: In With Lynn on Dispatch

Selectmen voted Tuesday to forge a five-year agreement with Lynn to dispatch Swampscott's police calls in addition to the fire calls that it already dispatches for the town.

Under the agreement, expected to be signed by the end of next month, the town would pay the same amount that it now pays Lynn to dispatch Swampscott's fire calls — $77,500.

The agreement also provides lock-up services for Swampscott prisoners, their transportation to and from court and officers' use of Lynn's firing range.

Earlier, selectmen had wanted fire and police dispatcher services.

This proposed change concerned Swampscott Fire Chief Kevin Breen.

He opposed abandoning the that the fire department had with the Lynn Fire Department.

That agreement calls for Lynn to provide an engine to all telephone alarms in Swampscott.

Furthermore, the Swampscott and Lynn fire departments have enjoyed strong ties for more than a century, the fire chief said.

Swampscott selectmen have said they wanted to move dispatcher services from the Swampscott Police Department because it would put more officers on the street.

On Tuesday, Officer Kevin Reen told the board that would not be the case.

In addition, officers maintain it makes no sense to try to fix a service that works.

Meanwhile, the agreement also calls for Lynn to apply for grant dollars to ease Swampscott's transition to Lynn dispatching police calls.

The grant would cover training and software expenses.

No timetable has been set for switch to the new dispatch services.