Where I live not only do we get put on hold but sometimes they don’t answer (not enough dispatchers) and response time (except for shop lifters which is quick response) is about 4.5 hours for serious stuff and 72 hours, if they do show up according to my own experience and those I know in the community.
Their budget is right over $4 Billion/year. The area I live in gives a boost of around $60 mil/year on top for expanded help so we don’t have to have our own city PD.
Also I wanted to add it’s the Sheriff, so we do contribute to the 4 bill/year via county tax like everyone else and are in their jurisdiction already.
It’s more common in high population areas, but it does happen.
The obsession with running government services like a business results in some notions about efficiency where someone getting paid to work and not being busy all the time is worse than people regularly waiting for critical time sensitive assistance.
It also has the zesty side effect of making the dispatch operators overworked and rushed. This usually just manifests as mistakes, but sometimes results in anger and critical mistakes. The famous example of the operator who yelled at a kid for calling because his mom had a seizure in the bath and she didn’t believe him comes to mind.
Errr…you guys have to wait on hold on 911? This isn’t just a joke?
Where I live not only do we get put on hold but sometimes they don’t answer (not enough dispatchers) and response time (except for shop lifters which is quick response) is about 4.5 hours for serious stuff and 72 hours, if they do show up according to my own experience and those I know in the community.
Their budget is right over $4 Billion/year. The area I live in gives a boost of around $60 mil/year on top for expanded help so we don’t have to have our own city PD.
Also I wanted to add it’s the Sheriff, so we do contribute to the 4 bill/year via county tax like everyone else and are in their jurisdiction already.
Fantastic return on investment.
It’s more common in high population areas, but it does happen.
The obsession with running government services like a business results in some notions about efficiency where someone getting paid to work and not being busy all the time is worse than people regularly waiting for critical time sensitive assistance.
It also has the zesty side effect of making the dispatch operators overworked and rushed. This usually just manifests as mistakes, but sometimes results in anger and critical mistakes. The famous example of the operator who yelled at a kid for calling because his mom had a seizure in the bath and she didn’t believe him comes to mind.
People’s opinion on insurance: “boy am I glad that’s there if I ever need it”
Their opinion on having extra dispatchers to pick up bursts of activity: “why the fuck are we paying them to sit around”
Both of those things are stuff you pay for but may never need, but only one of them is a human and that’s the one we get upset about.
Yes, in some jurisdictions this is common.
It’s a joke alright
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JZDIitWz8Go
Legit, i thought that thing in only murders was just a bit