AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said the average hold time from June 25 through July 1 was 2 minutes and 53 seconds.
APD also said call-takers answered 69.18% of calls in 15 seconds or less.
The 911 call center continues to face staffing struggles.
According to APD, there are currently 47 vacancies out of 104 operator positions.
911 operators answer incoming 911 calls directly, versus dispatchers who communicate directly with police officers.
In October, KXAN reported the call center had 49 vacancies.
Last year, the city adjusted pay rates for Austin’s emergency call center employees, so that they’d be in the top 25% of what those positions pay in other cities.
There is also an $1,800 annual stipend for employees with a TCOLE Telecommunicator Certification.
“We’re in a crisis,” Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, said.
He said one his members, Robert Gross, recently called 911 when he went to go check on an elderly couple and found the woman deceased. Farris said Gross could not get through to 911 and told his wife to go to the fire station nearby.
“She drove to the fire station, knocked on the door, he’s still there, fire and EMS showed up even before he was able to make the fourth phone call and get through to 911,” Farris said.
APD is still looking into the incident for KXAN, but said in general, the department has seen an increase in applications.
“We have had an intake of new call takers and dispatchers to fill positions, however, we are still short many positions as noted above,” a spokesperson said via email.
Farris said he believe the city should have stepped in earlier to recruit more employees and slow the attrition rate.
“This is an overall systemic problem in the city itself,” he said.
APD said if you find yourself on hold with 911, you should not hang up and try again. Doing so will put you back into the bottom of the queue.
#APD #Latest #average #hold #time #roughly #minutes
