LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) -The average wait time for 911 calls has dropped dramatically according to the LVMPD thanks to an increase of call takers and dispatchers.
In July, the average answer time was 47 seconds, only for callers to have to wait for up to 10 minutes. Then in October, the majority of calls were answered within 15 seconds, with an average wait time of around two minutes.
Now, the LVMPD says the average wait time is only three seconds.
The agency, which takes in 2.6 million calls per year, was 50% down on staffing last year according to LVMPD Media Communications Bureau Captain Jose Hernandez.
“To be in a situation where your staffing is down approximately 50%, it certainly has an impact. It has an impact on the people that are here, it has an impact on the number of calls they have to take,” Hernandez said. “The level of stress can be tremendous.”
Hernandez says they filled over 80 positions, changing the environment in the dispatch center for the better.
“People are able to work and keep pace with the amount of calls that are coming in. They have an opportunity to take just a quick breather before they jump into the next call,” he said.
They’re hoping to harness that momentum to fill an additional 15 vacant police dispatcher positions. Hernandez said they’re looking for people comfortable operating in stressful situations, who can multitask and type quickly.
“One of the most impressive things that they do, and that’s everyone here, is they can have a conversation with you, while listening to a phone call, while typing very critical information into reports and into our CAT system, and they do it just so seamlessly,” he says.
Anyone interested can find additional information at LVMPD.com or ProtectTheCity.com.
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