Dallas Taking Officers Off the Streets to Answer 911 Calls

Dallas is relying on its Police Department to help fill a staffing shortage at its troubled 911 call center.The center has experienced sudden spikes in calls that have correlated with two tragic deaths and left hundreds of people on hold for emergency services. In addition to technological trouble, the mayor has blamed the problem on having too few 911 operators.The Police Department is now temporarily assigning officers to the center to help until new call takers are hired, police said Monday.“When you call 911, someone needs to be on the phone and someone needs to be on the way to resolve the issue,” said Dallas City Council member Adam McGough, who said he’s received complaints from constituents about long wait times.  Continue reading...