Following gaps and mismanagement revealed last fall, the city of Dallas has hired 45 new 911 call-takers since September in an effort to improve the maligned department.
In a briefing prepared for today’s City Council public safety committee, city officials report that, in addition to the 45 new employees, call-takers now receive more hands-on training, a Quality Control Team has been formed, and additional supervisors have been added. The city also expects 90 percent of all 911 calls to be answered within 10 seconds (see chart above); in August 2012, only 75 percent of calls met that standard.
The impetus for all this change was a series of errors committed by the city’s 911 call center last year. The first incident occurred on July 4, when callers tried to report a house fire. They were placed on hold, since only 13 of the scheduled 16 call-takers were on duty. One month later, Deanna Cook was murdered, after calling 911 choking and pleading for her life. The 911 call-taker did not pass on critical details to the officers, and they left the home when no one answered the door.
In September, the Morning News found that the office has been chronically understaffed for years.
“Although significant improvements have been made in the 911 Call Center,the Police Department is committed to offering even higher levels of service to those that work, live and play in the City of Dallas,” the report reads.
The meeting kicks off at 11 a.m.
