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Q&A
Council Member Salaam questions Commissioner Tisch on 911 operator staffing and call handling
0:43:07
·
5 min
Council Member Yusef Salaam questions NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch about the current state of 911 operators, including staffing levels, plans for hiring, and how calls are being handled. Commissioner Tisch provides details on current and targeted staffing numbers, efforts to improve working conditions, and challenges in handling high call volumes.
- Current staffing is at 1210 operators, with a goal to reach the budgeted 1412 within a year
- Some 911 calls are being directed to an audio message during busy times, but efforts are being made to reduce this
- Commissioner Tisch acknowledges the need to increase staffing levels to match or exceed 2017 numbers
Yusef Salaam
0:43:07
I wanna start with the nine one one operators hiring.
0:43:13
At the preliminary budget, at that hearing we heard that there was a shortage of nine one one operators and that nine one one calls were being directed to an audio recording.
0:43:24
We heard testimony that a significant amount of nine one one operators were on leave due to mental and physical stress.
0:43:31
This is why the council called on the administration to provide adequate staff to answer all nine one one calls in a timely manner.
0:43:39
What is the current budget and actual headcount of nine one one operators?
Jessica Tisch
0:43:46
The budgeted FY '26 budgeted headcount for PCTs is $14.12.
0:43:54
Currently we sit at twelve ten which means we have two zero two vacancies.
0:44:04
I am pleased to report that we have a plan to get to our budgeted head count within a year.
0:44:12
And this is absolutely essential.
0:44:15
The members of our communications division, nine eleven call takers are a lifeline for New Yorkers.
0:44:22
And every call needs to be answered without delay.
0:44:27
But that's not all the changes that we've made to our 911 call center operations.
0:44:33
Recently we changed management there.
0:44:36
We have been working directly with the union, with DC thirty seven on ways to improve the quality of the experience of being a PCT.
0:44:51
For example, we're looking at providing shuttles for our nine eleven call takers to the trains when they're done with a busy shift.
0:45:00
And we have also changed who the nine eleven call takers and the communications division is reporting to.
0:45:08
Our first deputy commissioner and her office are now overseeing closely all of these changes at 09:11 and it has quite serious focus from this department on addressing the issues that you raised at the last hearing.
Yusef Salaam
0:45:29
You said that the number that you were hoping to reach or going to reach was how much?
Jessica Tisch
0:45:35
The budgeted headcount is $14.12.
Yusef Salaam
0:45:41
And you're currently at 12:10?
Jessica Tisch
0:45:43
Yes.
0:45:44
202 vacancies.
Yusef Salaam
0:45:47
202.
0:45:48
Got it.
0:45:51
Would this be an appropriate number to answer the nearly eight million nine one one calls that come in each year?
Jessica Tisch
0:45:58
So I am never shy about asking our office of management and budget in New York City or the council for new needs.
0:46:06
But I can't, I don't believe that I'm in a place now to come to you or to come to OMB asking for new needs in terms of greater authorized head count until I get to or closer to the authorized head count.
0:46:21
But when we do a year from now, hopefully that will be a very different conversation.
0:46:27
We will be having that conversation.
0:46:30
The budgeted number for police communications is down in real numbers from when I oversaw the communications division back when I was deputy commissioner of IT.
0:46:45
And I think we have to get back towards the 2017 numbers which was a few hundred PCTs higher than what the current budget is.
Yusef Salaam
0:47:03
Do you know how many operators are currently on leave?
Jessica Tisch
0:47:07
I do not have that information in front of me, but we can get back to you right after this hearing.
Yusef Salaam
0:47:14
And are 911 calls being directed to an audio message?
Jessica Tisch
0:47:20
When there are delays, meaning when all of the 911 are busy answering other calls, you will hear an audio recording that basically says just hold the phone.
0:47:37
So yes, there are some calls do not, where the caller will hear that audio message generally at very busy times.
0:47:47
We are quite focused on reducing the percentages of calls that go to that audio recording.
0:47:58
We need to get that back down to zero among the reasons why we are so focused on this hiring.
0:48:07
I am proud to report that in the past month as we have been doing this real focus on addressing issues at the 09:11 call center, the percentage of calls going to that recording is reduced.
Yusef Salaam
0:48:27
Do we know what the average time someone who is in need of help is sitting on hold when it goes to the audio message?
Jessica Tisch
0:48:35
I don't have that time in front of me but I believe that that time is going to be the average time is going to be incredibly low because the vast majority of calls to 911 are answered immediately.