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Title:
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Phoenix Police Emergency Communications Center
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Title
Phoenix Police Emergency Communications Center
Description
This report provides the Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee with information regarding Phoenix Police Emergency Communications Center operations.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
The Phoenix Police Department hosts the Emergency Communications Center (the Center) for City of Phoenix residents. Members of the public calling 9-1-1 within the City limits or calling Crime Stop will have their call processed by a Police Communications Operator. The Center’s 9-1-1 line serves as the first point of contact for those reporting fire or medical emergencies as well as emergency police situations.
The Center receives and transfers 9-1-1 emergency calls for the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD) and the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Crime Stop handles non-emergency calls and informational calls. Operators answer both lines during a given shift, with the phone system automatically prioritizing 9-1-1 calls above all others.
In addition to answering calls, operators in the Center monitor police radio talk groups including routine precinct calls, tactical emergency calls, information details, and other specialty details. From January through October 2020, the Center has received:
979,225 9-1-1 calls
710,036 Crime Stop calls
2,726 Text to 9-1-1 sessions
Upon receipt of a call for service, the operator questions the caller to determine the appropriate radio code and priority. Below is a summary of the priority system used by the Department:
Priority 1 - Crimes in progress or just occurred; of a serious nature or having a degree of immediate personal danger or harm.
Priority 2 - Urgent in nature; potential for violence; timely response is necessary; non-life threatening.
Priority 3 - Non-urgent in nature; no exigent circumstances; after the fact report calls.
Online Reporting - report calls with no immediate follow-up, suspect information or need for on-scene evidence collection.
Of the calls received by the Center, 33 percent were dispatched to Phoenix patrol units. The remainder consisted of informational calls handled by the Center's operators, as well as transfers to other agencies to include the PFD and DPS.
553,303 dispatched calls for service
142,251 self-Initiated calls for service
7,308 online reports
The following is a list of top call types (reasons) for dispatched calls year-to-date:
Trespassing
Check welfare
Suspicious person
Fight
Burglary alarm
Civil matter/standby
Accident - no injuries
Domestic Violence
Loud noise disturbance
Suspicious person in a vehicle
Theft
Criminal damage
The following represent the median citywide call response times:
Priority 1 calls - 6 minutes, 26 seconds
Priority 2 calls - 20 minutes, 36 seconds
Priority 3 calls - 43 minutes, 56 seconds
The Center's partnership with the Crisis Response Network (CRN) has allowed approximately 3,477 calls to be diverted to their team rather than have a call entered for service. 2,001 calls were sent for dispatch.
The Center utilizes NENA (National Emergency Number Association) standards to monitor our 9-1-1 calls. The NENA standard is to answer 90 percent of 9-1-1 calls within 15 seconds. For the month of October, the Center's answer time for 9-1-1 calls was 82 percent.
Current staffing at the Center consists of:
202 Communications Operators (44 vacancies)
29 Communications Supervisors (1 vacancy)
4 Shift Supervisors
1 Commander
Daily scheduling varies depending on the time of day and anticipated call volume. The number of operators assigned to phone duties spans from 12 during the overnight hours, up to 28 during peak afternoon/evening hours. The number of operators assigned to monitor radio talk groups ranges from 17-20. The Center's operators are also regularly monitoring special talk groups for details like protest activity, street racing and warrant service.
The Center's Training Unit is responsible for recruiting, hiring and training new employees. Successful trainees receive five weeks of classroom instruction and 32 weeks of on-the-job training. The Center's training program has been audited by Rio Salado College and trainees who complete the entire program are eligible for 16 hours of college credit.
The Center continues to focus on improvements and efficiencies:
Due to COVID-19, we are moving to 100 percent online pre-hire testing and interviews.
We seek out unique recruiting opportunities including virtual job fairs, National Guard job fairs and fast-track hiring events.
For the Center's core operations of call-taking and dispatching, we are focused on improving answer times:
Redirecting calls where possible to CRN, online reporting and providing appropriate information to callers to reduce future calls.
Placing recently trained operators on shifts with vacancies and higher absentee rates.
Evaluating use of part-time staff to supplement full-time staff.
Evaluating use of automated phone tree on Crime Stop to allow callers to obtain commonly requested information without waiting for an operator.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Police Department.