(Continued) 911 Concerns

particular instance, the 911 call center was above minimum staffing. All policies and procedures were followed. There were multiple 911 calls for the same incident. EMS and Lubbock Fire Rescue were both dispatched about two minutes after the first call.

Previous Coverage

Lubbock Mayor says issue with 911 should get ‘better’ not ‘worse’

LPD’s abandoned 911 calls doubled in two years hitting more than 30,000 LPD Chief defends 911 after report of 30,000 abandoned calls

Fresh criticism of Lubbock Police over abandoned 911 calls from city council

Lubbock firefighters speak out on “ongoing failure” in 911 dispatch systems

The open records request indicated concerns over the 911 dispatch center were raised prior to the mayor and three councilmembers making public statements demanding an improved 911 response. The mayor said an additional $7.4 million was allocated to LPD in the current budget cycle.

He said issues with 911 should get better, not worse.

The Lubbock Professional Police Association also made a brief public statement on social media on July 11, saying in part that “LPPA was approached by LPD dispatch employees who voiced concerns and worries that the public and officers’ safety were going to be severely impacted while having to further decrease their already understaffed positions.”

The Lubbock Professional Firefighters on Friday went so far as to call out “major inadequacies in LPD’s 911 dispatch system.”

The firefighters’ association also said, “This not only jeopardizes the safety of our first responders, but also compromises our ability to provide timely and life-saving assistance to those in need.”

The City Manager Expresses Confidence

“Lubbock Police Department Dispatch employees do a tremendous job to ensure our 911 system works and that when help is needed, it is agricultural education opportunities in a state-of-the-art facility. We understand that a safe learning environment is essential for academic success, and we remain committed to constantly improving our security protocols. You can help in this effort by engaging with your child's school, staying informed about safety measures, and encouraging open conversations with your children about school safety and the importance of following safety guidelines. on the way,” said City Manager Jarrett Atkinson. Atkinson spoke by phone with EverythingLubbock. com and then also provided a written statement.

With the new school year quickly approaching, we want to reassure our families and the larger community that Lubbock ISD campuses are a safe place to learn and grow. Your partnership and support is important to us, and we encourage you to contact us with any questions or concerns. Each and every one of you are integral to our mission of nurturing, developing, and inspiring every child, every day in Lubbock ISD.

Dr. Kathy Rollo is the Superintendent of Lubbock ISD. Accredited by the Texas Education Agency, Lubbock ISD is the largest school district that serves the city of Lubbock, Texas, serving 26,000 students and 3,000 employees.

“I cannot overstate my appreciation for their work or my confidence in what they do. We can be better in any service we provide, and 911 is no exception,” Atkinson said. “Chief Mitchell is working directly with our senior Dispatch team and changes have already been instituted to make us better and more improvements are in the works.”

“The city council and city management have made tremendous investments in public safety and will no doubt continue to do so.

The city council begins their work on our proposed Fiscal Year 2024 budget Monday and both current and ongoing improvements to our dispatch system will be discussed in more detail,” Atkinson said.

As of July 25, the after-action report on the full-scale threat exercise was still in draft form. We were invited to inquire about it again at a later time.

Important Numbers

Policecall(Non-Emergency) 763-5333

Fire (Non-Emergency) call 765-5757

Emergencies call 9-1-1 Program/Service info, call 2-1-1 City services, call 3-1-1 Voting Info, call 4-1-1 City - call 775-3000. www.ci.lubbock.tx.us County - call 775-1000 www.co.lubbock.tx.us

LISD - call 766-1000 www.lubbockisd.org

Latino Lubbock Magazine (806)792-1212 news@latinolubbock.net www.latinolubbock.net