One year after Oakland officials announced a $2.5 million initiative to improve the city’s struggling 911 Emergency Call Center, response times remain significantly below state standards, with an average answer time of 50 seconds—over three times the state benchmark of 15 seconds.
Data from the state indicates that Oakland Police Department’s performance has improved slightly; last summer only 36% of calls were answered within the required time, whereas this month that figure rose to 51%. However, to meet compliance with the California Office of Emergency Services, the city needs to achieve a 90% success rate.
In mid-2023, the city received notification of non-compliance after reports highlighted Oakland’s record as having the worst 911 response times in California. The funds allocated from the September 2023 investment are designed to be utilized over two years, with about half planned for hiring additional dispatch personnel, including 911 supervisors and mental health therapists. Other priorities include upgrading dispatch technology, increasing operators for non-emergency calls, and conducting job fairs.
During a recent press conference, Mayor Thao emphasized ongoing hiring efforts. “We’re doing ongoing hiring and ongoing testing. That was not happening previously. We are providing more mental health support for dispatchers. That wasn’t happening previously,” she stated.
However, significant improvements in call answering times may still take another year. Mayor Thao projected a timeframe of 10 to 12 months for training new operators, explaining that the training model pairs experienced operators with trainees, which temporarily reduces call center efficiency. As new operators gain experience, both the trainers and trainees will be able to handle more calls.
To ensure compliance with state standards, the California Office of Emergency Services has increased oversight, holding monthly meetings after the city failed to meet the expected response times.
For individuals in distress, such as crime victims who experience extended wait times, these delays in training can be frustrating. Oakland resident Jennifer Pahlka shared her experience of a home invasion, describing how she struggled to connect to emergency services while a burglar ransacked her home. After multiple attempts to reach 911, it took police two days to respond after neighbors called to report that the intruder had returned.
Pahlka, who previously served as the U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer under the Obama administration, later expressed her understanding of the intruder’s situation but emphasized the urgency and need for improvement in the 911 response system. She shared her ordeal on social media, garnering over two million views, and reflected on the necessity for a collective effort to demand better operations from local government, urging that it is a shared responsibility among residents and leaders alike to seek real solutions.