by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 20, 2021 | Comm Center News
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A team of assessors from the Michigan Law Enforcement Accreditation Commission will arrive in Grand Rapids on Thursday, Sept. 30 to “examine all aspects of the Grand Rapids Police Department’s policies, procedures, management, operations and support services.”
If the agency achieves MLEAC accreditation, it will be the fourth such program for the department, according to a news release Monday.
Chief Eric Payne says he’s confident GRPD will exceed MLEAC’s “best practice” standards…
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 20, 2021 | Articles, Comm Center News
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…
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 19, 2021 | Comm Center News
An Indiana man has been arrested for allegedly calling the 911 emergency line repeatedly, just to tell dispatchers that he was “tired.”
Police arrested Daniel Schroeder on Thursday after the 61-year-old resident of Evansville, Indiana allegedly called 911 four times.
“The male caller kept calling in stating that he was tired,” a police report detailing the man’s arrest said.
Schroeder’s arrest came one day after he pleaded guilty to a previous charge of misusing the 911 system. Police arrested Schroeder on the night of September 11 after he called 911 to express his anger that a female relative “was not following his rules.” …
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 19, 2021 | Comm Center News
They answer the call 24/7, even during a hiring squeeze
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — “911 — what is the address of your emergency?” a Deschutes County dispatcher asked Friday — a famous line we recognize and rely on, 24/7. The trustworthy ring and assurance that help will soon be on the way.
On the surface, 911 dispatchers are a calm voice in the dark for many — but they serve our community in great, unseen ways.
The 911 call-takers function as the first first responders. They answer calls all day — many of which save lives.
Deschutes County 911 gets 1,000-1,200 calls per day. If there are eight employees, that means they could answer 150 calls a day — each…
by AllThingsECC.com | Sep 19, 2021 | Comm Center News
LOS GATOS, CA — The town of Los Gatos is facing a police dispatcher shortage, a situation that the president of the police union last week deemed a “public health crisis” as frustrations boiled over at a recent Town Council meeting.
The Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department currently has four full-time dispatchers for its 24-hour emergency dispatch center to serve over 30,000 residents, Town Manager Laurel Prevetti told Patch on Thursday.
Bryan Paul, president of the Los Gatos Police Officers Association, said last week that the remaining dispatchers were all working overtime hours, burnt out and exploring leaving the department. The town has the budget for eight dispatchers, but four dispatchers have either resigned or retired since July 2020, two more dispatcher trainees resigned and the town administration has been slow to fill the spots, according to Paul…
