BOEC reports shorter 911 wait times after staffing rebuild; community‑safety offices warn funding is mostly one‑time

The Community and Public Safety Committee received an overview Feb. 11 of the Public Safety Service Area’s operations and costs, hearing from interim deputy city administrator Mike Myers, Bureau of Emergency Communications Director Bob Cozzi, and Community Safety Director Stephanie Howard and program leads.

BOEC: staffing, call volume and response times

Bob Cozzi told the committee BOEC answered about 35% more 911 calls in the most recent period than in 2018, with a 21% spike in calls in 2021 and a modest decline last year. Cozzi said the bureau lost roughly a third of staff during the civil‑unrest years but has rebuilt capacity through sustained hiring and training: two years ago BOEC had 62 senior dispatchers and 90 certified call takers; as of Jan. 1 the bureau reported 82 senior dispatchers, 108 certified call takers, 127 total operations staff and nine vacant positions. Cozzi said 13 recruits (12 in the academy plus one rehire) were starting soon.

Cozzi framed a multiyear recovery: “When calls started going up… we lost about a third of our staff,” he said, and later noted the…