Kentucky State Police are now providing dispatching operations for the Department of Fish and Wildlife Services.

The new program began on April 1. Lt. Col. Jack Miniard, state police operations chief, says before the new arrangement, dispatching services for the agency were being conducted from a central location in Frankfort.

Miniard says the new system allows officers to be dispatched by local Kentucky State Police posts. He says since state police dispatchers live and work in areas all around the state, they have better knowledge of specific areas.

State police technicians also installed radios and vehicle repeaters in 140 state Fish and Wildlife trucks and 60 boats.