A dispatch manager, Nicole Elliott, wrote on the incident to Clark County Sheriff’s Office administrators.
“[Her] actions on the first call not only delayed response by the first responders, but also put the lives of the four victims in more danger by disconnecting the call,” Elliott said.
When the first calls about a shooting at the Greenwood Park Mall came into the Johnson County Emergency Communications Center on Sunday, dispatchers were only just beginning their shift.
The B-shift, which is typically from 5:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m., started as it typically does. Philip Hayes, B-shift night supervisor, came in early, around 4:40 p.m. as he usually does. Hayes, who’s worked for 911 on and off since 2010, relieved the other shift supervisor. The two exchanged notes and then Hayes sat down, logged into his station and set the schedule for the night.
The City of Hollister’s 9-1-1 calls will now be dispatched through the Taney County Sheriff’s Department as part of an intergovernmental dispatch agreement.
“This decision was made when it was realized that those who reside and travel through our great city would be better served with the resources of the Taney County Sheriff’s Department involved in police response,” stated a press release from the Hollister Police Department.
Julio Ariciaga says this phrase repeatedly throughout the day as he works as a 911 call taker at the Houston Emergency Center. The problem is, there are not enough people doing what he does.
“Right now, we have about 140 call takers. But at the same time, we are about 35-40% down,” Joe Laud, the Administration Manager for the Houston Emergency Center said.
Those who answer 911 calls in Marana are better equipped and more efficient.
Marana’s Police Department remodeled its communication center, replacing outdated technology and making it more comfortable for its public safety dispatchers and supervisors.
