Sparring continued Thursday over how Tulsa’s public safety tax will bolster the 911 center.
Councilor Karen Gilbert is upset 15 vacant positions are being cut from next year’s budget after officials told citizens a public safety tax would improve service. She said people often ask her why they’re put on hold.
Tulsa 911 Center Director Terry O’Malley said unlike fire and medical, when it comes to police 911, callers will often end up waiting.
"We handle about 1.4 million calls per year, and there's no way to adequately prepare for those huge spikes you get when you have an accident, you've got 70 people calling in at one time," O'Malley said.
O'Malley said cutting those 15 vacant positions from next year’s city budget won’t have any impact on service. She told city councilors her retention rate is up from one in three to four in five over the past two years. She said those vacant positions are used to pay overtime, which isn’t needed as much now.
"We will continue on with the 63, and as long as we can be assured of overtime to fill in like we've been doing, it's going to remain the same with the call handling that we're doing," O'Malley said.
Police Chief Chuck Jordan and O’Malley also told Gilbert they’re waiting on a staffing study, and adding call takers or dispatchers before it’s done would be unwise.
"When we're putting citizens on hold when they're calling and they're in fear for their life, I don't need a study to tell me that we need more," Gilbert said.
The permanent public safety sales tax goes into effect Jan. 1, 2017.
