SHASCOM, the emergency communications provider in Shasta County whose dispatchers answer 911 calls among other duties, is understaffed, which causes mandatory overtime and lowers employee morale, the Shasta County Grand Jury says in its annual report released Thursday.
In their report, grand jurors recognize dispatching is a difficult job, but say more can be done by SHASCOM's administration and the board that oversees the agency to help employees.
"In particular, vacant dispatcher positions continue to be a chronic and debilitating issue," the report says. "Unfilled dispatcher positions lead to excessive overtime and low employee morale."
To help correct shortcomings, the jurors believe a management consultant should be brought in to analyze the dispatching operation and the board's oversight.
"The grand jury believes outside eyes can help the board and management of SHASCOM find new ways of addressing important issues and improve transparency," the report says.
SHASCOM Director James Divis, 52, said his operation has four vacant dispatcher positions. At full staffing, 35 dispatchers would be on board along with five supervisors. There are no vacant supervisors posts, he said.
Divis said he's worked at other communication agencies throughout the state and they all typically experience staffing and retention issues.
"It's been worse. It's been better," Divis said of SHASCOM's staffing levels. "It's been an ongoing, long-term issue for SHASCOM and the industry as a whole."
He said recruiting dispatchers can be difficult because it's hard to find young people who are willing to work weekends, holidays and overtime.
Training new dispatchers also puts a strain on the operation because existing dispatchers need to take time out to instruct the new recruits.
Another grand jury criticism is that while the agency has adopted training requirements adopted by the state's Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training, not all POST training gets accomplished due to time constraints.
In addition to handling 911 calls, SHASCOM's dispatchers communicate 24/7 with the Shasta County Sheriff's Office, Redding and Anderson police departments, Redding Fire Department and the two EMS/ambulance services in the county.
The SHASCOM board has five members that includes the city managers of Redding and Anderson, Shasta County's administrative officer, the Shasta County sheriff and either the Redding police or fire chief on a rotating basis.
Another grand jury criticism is that SHASCOM doesn't have a system for spreading the word about the CodeRED emergency alert system.
"Dedicated staff time is needed to manage the CodeRED registration process, improve the registry web page, and conduct an ongoing education campaign to raise public awareness and registration," the report says.
Divis takes issue with that point, saying in the wake of the Carr Fire, a lot of publicity has been devoted to CodeRED.
"I think we did a fairly good job (telling the public about CodeRED). I don't know what more we can do," Divis said.
He said a test of the system Friday was planned long before the grand jury report came out.
Divis has been the director for five years and will retire in three months. The city of Redding had a job posting for his replacement that closed last week.
On two other topics, the grand jury:
- Commended the Shasta County Jail for the medical services it provides for inmates. The jury received a complaint about medical care, looked into it, and said, "It works."
- Thanked the Sugar Pine Conservation Camp for providing inmate crews for fire-suppression work and "being a positive force in our county and the state correctional system."
June 27, 2019
Redding Record Searchlight
By Mike Chapman
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