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Union warns dispatch center 'crisis'; board accepts HR vacancy report and pledges follow‑up
Summary
Union leaders told supervisors that chronic vacancies, mandatory overtime and management problems at the county Public Safety Communications center pose a public‑safety risk. The board accepted HR’s vacancy and recruitment update and said it would follow up; staff highlighted high vacancy rates in several bargaining units.
Union officials and county staff clashed over staffing at the county’s Public Safety Communications (PSC) center during a public hearing on vacancies and recruitment on May 19.
ASPE/AFSCME representative Ryan Shannon said PSC is “no longer a lack of awareness” but rather “a leadership and operational crisis that demands board action,” describing staffing patterns that leave shifts chronically understaffed and employees working extensive overtime. “Dispatchers frequently leave PSC not to leave the profession but to work for neighboring agencies,” Shannon told the board, and he urged an independent review of management and workplace culture.
Interim HR Director Michelle Kuka presented countywide vacancy metrics: the county has 6,131 authorized positions, 5,300 filled, a current vacancy rate of 12% (data through March 2026), and several bargaining units above the 20% threshold including public safety communications and probation/detention association (PDA) vacancies were discussed. Kuka described recruitment steps — rolling recruitments, LinkedIn information sessions and hiring incentives — designed to reduce the vacancy rate.
Why it matters: Public safety dispatchers are central to 9‑1‑1 response; the union argued that chronic vacancies and mandatory overtime create operational risk for first responders and residents. Supervisors acknowledged the concerns, the presentation’s data, and directed staff to pursue follow‑up, including closed‑session negotiation work when appropriate.
Board action: The board opened and closed the public hearing and voted to accept the vacancy and recruitment update. Supervisors requested additional follow‑up on PSC staffing and said some concerns may be handled in closed session related to labor negotiations.
