Local agencies sound alarm over lack of 911 dispatchers
July 14, 2022 - Residents depend on emergency dispatchers to be a voice of calm and reassurance during a time of crisis, yet many local agencies are having trouble filling empty positions. According to a recent report, the St. Petersburg Police Department currently has 19 empty dispatcher seats. The Tampa Police Department is also short 19 operators, while their counterparts in Clearwater recently hired four new dispatchers and still need three more. Pinellas County has 38 positions to fill while Hillsborough county is down 32 operators. According to the report, pandemic-induced early retirements are one cause of the shortage, along with the stress of the job.