‘We need to make sure we’re hiring’: Mayor Lucas tours 911 dispatch

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) -Mayor Quinton Lucas toured the 9-1-1 Dispatch Call Center on Tuesday to see how changes have helped fill gaps in service identified last year.

The big takeaway: There’s more work to be done.

Mayor Lucas told KCTV5 that this is a vital service, and they want to make sure Kansas City residents know that help is on the way if they call.

In 2024, average hold times for callers reached up to one minute, and that was as long as nine minutes for some. Short staffing at the operation center was blamed for the waits, but those emergencies couldn’t be ignored.

This is why a consolidation of area dispatch centers happened, to try and turn things around.

During his visit Tuesday morning, Mayor Lucas said he’s proud of those steps, including the push to make more hires. But, there’s still work to be done.

Despite panicked calls flooding in, he says dispatchers were ready.

“What I saw was a lot of calm people, dedicated, working hard, so maybe that’s one surprise. Another was how many have been here for three decades or more. That is a tribute to them and the hard work they do. It’s also a sign we need to make sure we’re hiring more folks, recruiting, getting more people interested in this side of the operation,” he said.

Mayor Lucas said his one regret was not getting out to the dispatch center sooner. Although, he added it won’t be his last time, as they continue pushing for more hires inside the 911 call center.

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