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Greenville's 911 communications team reports 96% of emergency calls answered within 10 seconds
Summary
Greenville police communications staff briefed the council on staffing, call volumes and technology upgrades, saying the communications center answered 96.22% of 911 calls within 10 seconds this year and is moving toward next-generation 911 features including text-to-911 and live video.
City of Greenville communications and police dispatch staff told the council their 911 center is near full staffing, meeting state performance standards and adopting next-generation 911 technology.
Dustin (communications director) said the communications division is currently staffed 24 hours a day and is operating at 31 of an approved 33 positions; five recent hires are completing onboarding. The shift structure runs four shifts, including a planned mid-shift to respond to peak-call periods.
Dustin detailed call-volume and performance figures: year-to-date call processing and disconnect statistics show the center answered 96.22% of 911 calls within 10 seconds this year, exceeding the 85% state standard. Staff track workload indicators such as 911 disconnect handling and call-processing time; the presenter said processing an attempted 911 disconnect and the required callbacks takes about 10 minutes of staff time.
The presentation outlined technical upgrades including text-to-911 capability and the ability to request live video from callers to improve situational awareness. Staff said the center coordinates with Greenville County EMS and other jurisdictions for specialized medical dispatch and seamless transfers.
Council members asked operational questions about dispatch logistics, annexation impacts on call loads, internships and recruitment, and whether callers are routinely told when dispatch has been notified. Dustin said the center aims to reassure callers when dispatch is en route while continuing to collect qualifying information when incidents are ongoing.
Council and staff also praised the new dispatch facility and its positive effect on retention and morale. The council did not take formal action during the briefing but asked staff to provide data tying annexation or growth to dispatch workload and budget impacts.
Direct quotes in this article are from speakers at the meeting and are attributed to those named in the transcript.
