Lawyer warns of dispatcher shortage

Weathersfield is now dispatching through Niles, not the county 911 system.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- There aren't enough trained dispatchers to properly operate the new Niles 911 Center, which opened Tuesday, a union representative says.
"We're going to have a problem," warns Michael Hostler, a staff lawyer with the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association in North Royalton.
At 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, the $485,000 center began accepting 911 and nonemergency calls from Weathersfield Township residents. The calls had been going to the Trumbull County 911 Center in Howland.
"I'm pleased so far," said Tom Telego, manager in charge of the city's Office of Emergency Management.
"The idea is a good one," Hostler said earlier this week while voicing concerns over staffing.
The OPBA represents city police officers and full-time dispatchers, but not the part-time dispatchers or those hired to work in the long-delayed center -- which was supposed to open last September.
Hostler asserted that the center needs 12 part-time dispatchers, along with the full-timers, to properly staff the center.
Here's the situation
The center currently has four full-time and eight part-time dispatchers, Telego said, noting he has four additional part-timers to hire.
All but two of the part-timers on board have been "totally trained," Telego said.
The part-timers are being paid $9.15 hourly, pay that will increase to $10.15 upon city council's approval.
Telego said he had trouble hiring dispatchers initially until the public knew the jobs were available. The center equipment will be staffed by two dispatchers per shift.
Hostler suggested that the center be put on hold until it is fully staffed and the employees are all trained.
Also, he said, the telephones aren't compatible. For example, if a person calls and wants to talk with the police chief, the call can't be transferred. The dispatcher must physically locate the chief.
Telego said there is a "compatibility issue" between the phones in the center and others in the department. This will be resolved in about a month when a new phone system is installed in the police department.
Still another concern, Hostler said, is using police officers to fill in for dispatchers.
Although the OPBA and city have a side agreement to their contract not to use officers for dispatching, the union allowed officers to dispatch if the dispatcher has a meeting or lunch.
Because there aren't enough dispatchers, Hostler contended, officers will be used to fill in -- a violation of the agreement.
Telego explained the department doesn't intend to use police officers as dispatchers, except to cover for lunch or a meeting or if a dispatcher becomes ill. If there is an illness, the officer will fill in until a new shift begins when the replacement dispatcher arrives for duty.
"Somebody is going to get hurt," Hostler cautioned.