Photo: Getty Images
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston's 911 emergency call centers are suffering from staff shortages and abandoned calls, a new report says.
The Boston Police Department contracted public safety consulting service Mission Critical Partners to audit Boston's 911 system. The final report noted several issues with staffing, hiring, training, and retaining call center operators.
"This current state has culminated in a staffing crisis and the expense of $2,392,525.95 in overtime for both sworn and civilian staff in 2019 and $2,885,145.72 in 2020," the report stated.
"There is a staffing challenge," said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. "The staff who are there are so committed to the job that when the levels are down, they show up more. They show up above and beyond, and so we really need to get them that relief of being able to have the time to be with their families.”
The staffing crisis also resulted in an increase in the rate of abandoned calls, where the caller disconnects before speaking with a call taker. According to the report, more than 620,000 calls were made to Boston's 911 dispatch system in 2020, with more than 35,000 abandoned.
"Every center will experience abandoned calls; the goal is to keep them as low as possible," the report read. "There are many reasons for abandoned calls, including those who 'pocket dial,' realize they have misdialed, or become frustrated waiting for an answer and hang up. Additionally, when staff members are on another line, incoming calls cannot be answered right away. Regardless of the reason, this creates additional work as staff must try to re-establish contact with the caller to determine if there is an actual emergency."
The audit made several recommendations to improve the call centers, including moving to a 12-hour shift cycle for operators and transitioning the division's supervision from police to civilians.
WBZ's Mike Macklin reports.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App