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911 dispatcher. Photo by Scary Side of Earth via Flickr
Underfunding and understaffing cripple 911 call centers across the country, and increase the likelihood that incomplete or inaccurate information will trigger a fatal response from police, according to researchers.
Harold Pollack, co-director of the Transform 911 project, said the lack of resources was complicated by the fact that emergency dispatch centers often aren’t on “equal footing” with law enforcement, fire departments, and emergency medical services — a disparity that further undermines their effectiveness.
An average 911 call lasts about ten minutes — not nearly enough time to talk a caller through a mental health crisis, he said…
