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Porter County 9-1-1 director says staffing still short; council approves overtime transfer
Summary
Porter County 9-1-1 Director Debbie Gunn told the council the center remains understaffed; the council approved a transfer to pay overtime while new hires complete training.
Debbie Gunn, director of Porter County 9-1-1, told the County Council that the emergency dispatch center is still short of its budgeted staff and is relying on overtime while trainees complete multi-phase training.
“We are at 29 and we have 3 part time. So we're actually 3 short, but of those 29, 4 of them are in training,” Gunn said, describing the center’s staffing and training pipeline. Gunn explained new hires typically need about eight months of phased training before being fully independent on the floor.
The council approved a transfer of $40,000 from a performance-pay line to cover overtime expenses and keep dispatch operations meeting mandated minimum staffing levels. Gunn said one additional hire is scheduled to begin Sept. 8 and the agency hopes that experienced hires will expedite training timelines.
Why it matters: 9-1-1 staffing levels affect response coordination for police, fire and EMS across Porter County. Prolonged understaffing can increase overtime costs and operational strain.
Additional context: Gunn told the council the department has benefited from a recent pay adjustment that helped retention but still needs to hire to reach a budgeted strength of 32 staff. The council approved the transfer by roll call vote.
Ending: The council’s approved transfer will fund overtime while training continues; Gunn said she will return with updates as trainees progress and hiring continues.
