The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office has begun negotiating with the Iberia Parish Communications District to not renew the agreement between the two departments providing for employees who receive and monitor 911 calls.

As part of a long-standing agreement, the Iberia Parish Communications District has supplied money to the IPSO to staff and oversee 911 receivers. District Director  Prescott Marshall said the IPSO likely will remove its employees next year after June 30,  the same time the New Iberia Police Department is set to begin operations under Police Chief Todd D’Albor.

IPSO spokesman Maj. Wendell Raborn said the decision to opt out has not been finalized. However, discussions are underway to have the 911 district hire its own employees and take over operations of receiving 911 calls.

Raborn said the simple reason for the change is budgetary.

“Just money,” Raborn said. “With our expenses we’re not able to maintain as many employees, and that’s an area where we’ll be cutting. We’ve already notified them that we’re hoping to get out of it. It’s all in negotiations.”

Marshall said the district supplies about $147,000 annually to the IPSO to provide for 911 services. When the district takes over 911 operations next year, that money along with some supplementary funds will be used to hire and train 10 to 12 new employees to receive 911 calls, he said.

The agreement between the two departments provides for a 90-day opt-out clause, which the IPSO is abiding by, given the change wouldn’t go into effect until summer of 2018.