Halifax Regional Police’s budget request for eight new 911 dispatchers and call takers was approved by the board of police commissioners on Wednesday. Photo by Ryan TaplinArticle contentYemi Akindoju saw first-hand how understaffed 911 dispatchers and call takers are in the integrated emergency services (IES) unit, and the Halifax police commissioner shared his story with his fellow board members.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentOn Wednesday, the board approved Halifax Regional Police’s budget request for eight new 911 emergency response communicators, which would cost nearly $400,000 in the upcoming budget. Not all will be hired in the first year. The cost would rise to $776,000 as more staff is added.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“I spoke to a lady who almost made me cry,” Akindoju recalled during Wednesday’s board meeting. “I asked her, ‘what do you need that would make your job better?’ She looked at me and said, ‘We are fatigued.’Article content“This is not only about dollars. This is a real need. These people are fatigued. They are asking for eight people. They work 12-hour shifts and work mandatory overtime.Article content“I was supposed to be in the hospital (Tuesday) but I switched that right away so I could make an informed decision today. When we talk about high-risk jobs, like nurses, like police, these are the ones you do not see in this department.”Article contentThe integrated emergency services unit, the province’s largest public safety answering point, receives and processes all 911 and non-emergency calls for Halifax Police, Halifax RCMP, Halifax Fire and EHS. They receive roughly 300,000 calls a year.Article contentArticle content“That’s a lot of calls in terms of people that are manning that service, and they obviously do a very good job of it,” Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean told the board.Article content“When I joined Halifax Police back in the early ’90s, they were in our building, in our headquarters. And sometimes as a young constable, you would be sent there to do that job. It’s not a place you wanted to go on a regular basis. It was a stressful environment to do that job. I’ve always had respect for the men and women who actually do that job and do it extremely well.”Article content Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean. – RYAN TAPLINArticle contentMacLean said they are understaffed with thousands of hours of mandatory overtime being issued.Article contentThere were 473 mandatory overtime shifts for emergency response communicators in 2024. As of September, there have been 328 this year.Article contentDespite the staffing challenges, IES has answered 911 calls within 20 seconds 99.9 per cent of the time. The answer time for non-emergency calls has been climbing, from 21 seconds in 2017 to more than a minute this year.
A call for eight more 911 dispatchers, receivers for understaffed integrated emergency services unit
