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RCCD dispatchers report staffing crisis: vacancy rate 36% overall, 59% excluding trainees
Summary
Nevada’s Records Communications and Compliance Division told a legislative subcommittee that statewide dispatcher vacancies and mandated overtime have created operational strain and occasional radio‑channel consolidations to maintain coverage.
The Records Communications and Compliance Division told legislators the state's communications bureau faces critical dispatcher shortages that have operational and officer‑safety consequences.
Erica Souza‑Llamas and Jason Colnett reported that RCCD’s statewide dispatcher vacancy rate is 36 percent overall. They added that if trainees (13 persons currently in training) are excluded from the count, the effective vacancy rate is 59 percent because trainees cannot perform full dispatch duties. Dispatchers are scheduled for a minimum of four 12‑hour shifts per week (48 hours) before voluntary or mandated overtime is assigned.
RCCD said the division has secured four administrative assistant positions intended to relieve administrative tasks from dispatchers — answering phones, warrant and dangerous offender notifications and related clerical duties — but only one administrative position had been filled at the time of the hearing and staff said the administrative hires had not yet noticeably reduced overtime burdens. To mitigate shortages, RCCD said it uses an emergency contract to bring traveling dispatchers on demand.
Committee members asked about recruitment and retention. RCCD said it adjusted recruiting practices to remove barriers and has seen larger academy classes; the division reported some trainees attrition during training and that the work is stressful, with mandatory overtime and temporary channel shutdowns at times when minimum staffing cannot be met.
Lawmakers asked for continued updates on vacancy and training outcomes and for any cost estimates related to reducing overtime through additional hiring.
