Short staffing at Honolulu police dispatch leads to long 911 wait times, union says

Yahoo

5 hours ago

Dispatchers at the Honolulu Police Department are being forced to work overtime because of short staffing.
Some 911 callers are waiting as long as 20 minutes to ask for help. Employees face 'vitriol and verbal abuse ' from supervisors.
The allegations were outlined in a two-page letter delivered to the Honolulu City Council on Thursday from the Hawaii Government Employees Association.
HPD currently has 456 vacant police officer positions and 188 civilian employee openings as of May 1. Making up more than a quarter of the vacant civilian positions are Police Communications Officer I and II, also known as dispatchers.
A Communications Officer I earns a minimum of $4, 409 a month and up to $6, 526. The officer II position starts at $4, 766 and climbs as high as $7, 058.
Operating with 35 % of its dispatcher positions vacant, the situation in HPD's Communications Division has become so dire that the department is 'regularly changing its operational policies ' to keep services running, according to a June 5 letter to the City Council, obtained by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser from HGEA.
For HGEA's members it has meant 'emotional and physical strain : working longer hours, foregoing lunch breaks—even bathroom breaks—and being coerced by managers if they are unable to work overtime.'
They are so 'severely short-staffed ' that it has created a potential 'public hazard and a toxic and coercive work environment.'
Until recently, dispatchers would be assigned to either emergency or nonemergency calls, but because of short staffing, dispatchers are pulling double duty, resulting 'in longer wait times for emergency calls.'
'Employees say 911 wait times can range from a few minutes up to 20 minutes or more, due in large part to employees taking non-emergency calls. Just a few minutes is an eternity in an emergency situation and the stress of waiting an extended period of time to speak to a dispatcher enrages callers. Employees are routinely subjected to vitriol and verbal abuse simply because there is not enough staff to manage the call volume. These interactions are a source of incredible stress and anxiety for dispatchers, ' wrote HGEA Executive Director Randy Perreira.
In a statement to the Star-Advertiser, HPD Public Information Officer Alina Lee said that the department takes 'all concerns regarding the workplace environment seriously and is committed to fostering a professional and supportive atmosphere.'
'While staffing challenges are well-documented, we continue to prioritize emergency call handling and public safety, 'Lee said. 'The department continues to work closely with employees, supervisors, and union representatives to address any operational concerns and ensure the public receives timely emergency services.'
Mandated overtime is common, she said. The average police communications officer works two to three mandated four-hour shifts per five-day work week, in addition to their regular eight-hour shifts.
'Some employees may stay longer, but that is at their discretion and considered voluntary overtime. Exceptions (such as for child care ) are handled case by case, ' Lee said.
HPD's Human Resources Division and Communications Division collaborate to recruit and retain dispatchers.
Recruiters, including current communications officers and uniformed officers, attend nearly 'every career fair, as well as many other community events, ' Lee said.
'The recruitment also involves the use of social media and other online platforms, including the city's job postings, ' said Lee.
The department's sit-along program is modeled after the traditional ride-along.
Interested applicants spend time with a dispatcher to experience the job firsthand and the program is designed to provide a 'behind-the-scenes perspective and to foster greater interest in the role.'
Every quarter HPD's recruitment team holds informational sessions, offering both in-person and virtual options. 'During these sessions, they discuss the job benefits, explain the application process, and highlight common mistakes to avoid, ' Lee said.
HPD is also partnering with the state Department of Education to market the position to high school students.
The recruitment team and Communications Division have collaborated with local high schools to enhance promotion and marketing of the dispatcher position.
Recruitment staff and dispatchers are currently attending the State Leadership Conference at Moanalua High School to highlight the role, Lee said. Previously, the Communications Division gave a presentation to Mililani High School's Foundations in Law Enforcement class.
Perreira, in an interview, lauded the Honolulu City Council's effort to intervene in the recruitment and retention of uniformed officers. He urged members to expand the push to include communications officers and civilian personnel, noting that dispatchers field the first call for help.
They aid people in emergencies help them stay calm, gather information, and dispatch the police and public safety resources needed.
'The job is stressful to begin with. But conditions now have reached a point it's making it … very difficult for them to continue without some kind of intervention, ' said Perreira, noting the union has pushed this issue with the city for several years. 'We acknowledge that answers are not easy.'
About one in three applicants for an HPD communications officer position makes the cut, he said, because it is 'tough work.'
During the Aug. 8, 2023, West Maui wildfire that burned down Lahaina and killed 102 people, dispatchers fielded more than 4, 500 calls from people panicking about the fast-moving blaze and in need of help.
'Only so many are deemed qualified, ' Perreira said.
He urged Council members and city officials to look at the pay issue and what the neighbor island counties have done. More money is not the only answer he said, but would help attract qualified applicants.
Dispatchers employed by other counties may earn a salary differential each month, a boost of between $750 and $1, 000.
'But the city here has resisted. HPD's response to us is to continue a program they started that disincentives sick leave. You get the differential as long as you don't call in sick.'
Communications officers are working so many hours to the point of physical, emotional and psychological fatigue.
'They have to call in sick … just to detoxify themselves, ' Perreira said.
Lee said HPD received a proposal from the union regarding employee retention incentives.
'In response, an alternative compensation adjustment was discussed, which both parties generally supported as a more effective way to recognize employees actively staffing positions, ' Lee said. 'The alternative proposal is now under review by the appropriate department.'
Twenty-five current police communication officers are at retirement age, which threatens to 'compound the vacancy crisis the department faces, not to mention the strain it will put on the workforce when these veteran employees leave, ' Perreira wrote Thursday.
HPD has retained only 13 police communication officers hired since 2020 compared to 21 who left.
Retirements will further impact staffing, and HPD is continuing 'to prioritize dispatcher recruitment.'
'We've also begun training sworn personnel to assist with call-taking and are hiring former dispatchers on a contract, part-time basis, ' Lee said. 'As the union noted, we've adjusted operational procedures and are developing contingencies to maintain operations with reduced staffing.'