Rock Island Police hire traveling dispatch agency to address shortage

The Rock Island City Council voted Monday to address a shortage of 911 dispatch operators. The Rock Island Police Department will now use traveling dispatchers from around the country to help relieve the current staff.

"It's similar to the traveling nurse model," said Rock Island Deputy Police Chief Tim Muehler.

Rock Island police say the lack of 911 operators is crippling their response to emergency situations. The department currently has eight staff members, which is only 67 percent of its staffing level. That's why Moetivations was hired, it's a company that sends dispatchers to cover shortages.

"They understand the need, like there was for law enforcement, lowering numbers," said Muehler. "Same thing for the telecommunicators. They are an essential service to law enforcement."

Muehler says part of the problem is training and retention. Over the last two years, the department hired eight dispatchers, but all of them quit.

"There is no training academy for dispatchers. It's just strictly on-the-job training," said Muehler. "Some of them realized how stressful of a job it really is, how important of a job it really is and the overall stress of it. They're just at the point where they're like 'I can't do this.'"

The agreement is to hire two temporary dispatchers at more than $174,000 for a six-month period. That covers not only pay, but also travel and living expenses. Muehler says the department has a few people at the end stages of the hiring process, but the training needed will still take a few months. In the meantime, the two traveling dispatchers will help keep the current staff from being overworked.

"Main (priority) is to prevent burnout of our current dispatching staff," said Muehler. "They are working copious amounts of overtime to maintain minimum standards."

The two dispatchers are expected to start Oct. 12.

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