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Clerical and technical union urges more dispatchers and records staff; warns of short staffing risks
Summary
Jamie Kamakel, president of the clerical and technical union, told the Finance Committee that records and dispatch need additional hires. The union cited past layoffs and long‑running vacancies, and requested that departments include clerical staffing needs when budgeting and during upcoming negotiations.
Jamie Kamakel, president of the city’s clerical and technical employees’ union, addressed the Finance Standing Committee on May 1, 2025, describing persistent vacancies in records, dispatch and other clerical units.
Kamakel said police dispatch is short two positions to reach a full staff of 10 and that records is short two positions. She said longstanding vacancies, COVID‑era staffing strains and layoffs have left many clerical units understaffed, and that many of the city’s clerical staff have long tenures and will soon retire—creating a need for recruitment of younger employees and better succession planning.
Why it matters: dispatch and records staffing affects public safety reporting, case documentation and the ability of emergency services to operate effectively. The union urged departmental leaders and the committee to prioritize clerical staffing in upcoming budgets.
Committee exchange and follow up
Committee members asked the union whether vacancies are funded or unfunded; Kamakel said some positions are funded and vacant and others are leftover reductions from prior layoffs. Committee and staff discussed timelines for collective bargaining; the union noted interest in negotiations beginning in the fall and asked to be kept informed as the city prepares bargaining proposals.
Ending: Committee members said they will seek more detailed vacancy lists from departments and encouraged the union to provide priorities for bargaining.
