Citizen Vote Rejects Comm Center Consolidation
A Bangor (Maine) dispatcher’s opposition to merging the city’s public safety comm center with the county has led to a citizen vote to keep the local center and all of its dispatchers. After the city council voted earlier this year to merg…
FCC Settles Radio Spat Between State, Sprint
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has stepped in to settle a Judge Judy-like dispute between the state of Oklahoma and Sprint Nextel Corp. over the cost of 11 radios, a total of just $28,325 out of the several billion dollars Sprint is spend…
Atlanta FD Audit Reveals Comm Center Delays
A city-ordered audit of staffing levels at the Atlanta (Geo.) Fire Department discovered that all components of incident handling in the communications center exceeded national standards and, in fact, contributed to more than half the increase in over…
Cabbie’s ‘Yes-No’ Answers Help Capture Suspect
A quick-thinking cab driver and a helpful Washington County (Md.) 911 dispatcher worked together to capture and arrest the passenger in the back seat of the taxi after he assaulted his ex-wife. Cabbie Cathy Rhodes and dispatcher Mike Shifler met days …
Dispatcher’s Question Masked Murder Confession
The family of a murdered woman is considering legal action after Elyria (Ohio) police just revealed that the victim’s husband confessed during a 911 call, but a calltaker intent on transferring the call failed to hear his words. The suspect later…
Chicago Budget Includes Personnel Cut-Backs
The 2012 proposed city budget by Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel would make significant personnel cuts to the Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC), and makes up the difference by making dispatchers work overtime. At a budget hearing yes…
Reporters Fight Police Radio Encryption Plan
Members of the District of Columbia press corps have been meeting with police officials to raise their objections to the encryption of the district’s police radio communications to prevent criminals from using smartphone apps and scanners to inte…
Termination Hearing: I Didn’t Believe Little Girl
An Arlington (Tex.) police dispatcher fired earlier this year for violating several department policies during the fatal shooting of an officer told investigators she didn’t send officers to a child’s report of the incident because she didn…
Probe Finds Demotions Weren’t Retaliation
An independent investigation of the demotions of three Delaware County (Ohio) 911 dispatchers has determined the action wasn’t taken in retaliation for the women making claims of sexual harassment, race and age discrimination against the comm c…
‘Bizarre’ CAD Recommendations in Fatal Fire
A coroner’s inquest into the death of two Montreal (Canada) college students has included testimony from fire investigators and dispatchers, who have pointed to a faulty fire alarm system at the victims’ apartment, and incorrect unit recom…