Delray Beach officials publish three-year police and fire response-time data after resident complaints

Delray Beach police and fire officials presented three years of response-time data Wednesday after residents raised concerns about 911 delays and slow emergency responses.

Chief Daryl Hunter, Delray Beach chief of police, told the City Commission that the department analyzed calls from Jan. 1, 2023, through Oct. 31, 2025, and that calls are triaged by dispatch into priority 1 (emergency), priority 2 (urgent) and priority 3 (delayed). "For priority 1 response calls" he said, "3 minutes and 51 seconds." Hunter said the three-year averages were 3:51 for priority 1, 6:34 for priority 2 and 9:45 for priority 3, measured from the time the call was dispatched to officer arrival.

Assistant Fire Chief Steve Mayes described the fire-rescue breakdown used nationally: call processing, turnout and travel. He said the department's three-year averages were about 45 seconds for dispatch, 54 seconds turnout, a travel time averaging roughly 5:13, and an overall station average near six minutes. Mayes noted local traffic constrains travel-time improvements and that technologies such as traffic-signal preemption could reduce travel time but require investment.

Commissioners praised both departments' work. Mayor Carney said the objective data counters "rumors and statements made to the contrary" and thanked the departments for the "great job" they said they are doing. Vice Mayor Long and other commissioners also acknowledged the departments' metrics and supported exploring technology and facility designs — including the new Fire Station 113 — that may lower turnout and travel times.

Public comment included a resident, Julie Casale, who said she experienced a long delay on a Sept. 9 911 call and said she has call recordings and video to support the claim. Casale told the commission the police dispatcher told her an officer would be "on my way" at 5:11 p.m. after a 5:00 p.m. call; she said an officer did not arrive until about 5:19 p.m. and that the incident ultimately involved an Instacart delivery. Chief Hunter and the city manager offered the presentations to provide the department's data-driven response metrics and to clarify how calls are triaged.

Commissioners asked for no immediate policy changes; they commended the departments, asked staff to continue monitoring response metrics, and discussed options for incremental improvements in turnout and travel time.

Ending: City leadership said the departments will continue to report response metrics and that the city will evaluate technology and facility investments to try to reduce travel and turnout times further.