Oakland watchdog slams city for slow and inequitable 911 responses

The Oakland city auditor's latest investigation revealed significant issues within the 911 call center, including understaffing and delayed responses to serious crimes, particularly in East Oakland. The report indicates that the Oakland Police Department (OPD) answers emergency calls slower than seven comparable cities, with only 42% of calls answered within 15 seconds in 2023, marking the worst performance in a decade. Language barriers exacerbate the delays, as non-English calls take an average of five minutes longer to process. The city has been warned about potential loss of state funding if improvements are not made, as previous audits have highlighted these ongoing issues. The auditor's recommendations include increasing staffing levels, especially for bilingual dispatchers, and adopting new technology to streamline operations.

City Auditor Michael Houston stated that residents deserve a prompt and reliable 911 system. OPD officials recognized the need for better bilingual coverage but noted limitations in tracking non-English speaker calls. The report underscores the urgency of addressing these systemic problems to improve public safety.