9-1-1 legislative committee urges PSAPs to invite legislators for tours, personal outreach
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Summary
Colorado legislative committee members and 9-1-1 professionals urged public-safety answering points (PSAPs) to invite local legislators to their centers this fall to build relationships, provide firsthand demonstrations of operations, and supply local data ahead of the next legislative session.
Jackie, chair of the legislative committee, urged Colorado 9-1-1 centers to invite their state legislators to visit local PSAPs and to bring personalized stories and data to those meetings. "They really are interested in what we do. They want to see us," Jackie said, adding that personal contact helps keep 9-1-1 issues in a legislator's mind.
The committee recommended that PSAP managers focus presentations on what their individual centers do and to bring concrete figures and local examples. Jennifer (staff member) told attendees that after a story hooks a legislator, "they're gonna want some numbers," and offered statewide and local data as persuasive follow-ups. The presenters suggested leaving legislators printed materials such as funding-source pie charts and staffing forecasts so officials can compare local needs with statewide averages.
Speakers emphasized ways to make outreach concrete: invite legislators to tour dispatch floor operations, let them meet staff, demonstrate headsets or the dispatch workflow, and share local metrics such as call volumes. Jackie encouraged PSAPs to make the visit personal to the legislator's district and to report scheduling back to the legislative committee so the committee can coordinate follow-up. "A personal relationship with your legislator goes a long way," Jackie said.
The committee framed this outreach as preparatory work to be done before the next legislative session opens; presenters said outreach should occur this fall because the general assembly convenes in January. The aim is not to request immediate fixes from legislators at these visits, except for one narrow ask (prepaid-surcharge statutory language, discussed separately), but to educate legislators on PSAP operations, funding sources, and local impacts so lawmakers have background when bills are considered.
Discussion-only items included recommended outreach tactics and timing; the committee asked PSAPs to notify Jackie of scheduled visits and to share outcomes so the committee can track which legislators have been engaged. No formal motions or votes were taken.
The committee said slide decks and a recording of this presentation will be provided to attendees for use in outreach, and pointed to national resources (9-1-1 Wonder Women) as additional materials for lawmakers.
