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The Southtown Star recently published an article about the 9-1-1 Center in Oak Lawn, which was recently handed over to a private company. The article highlights growing concerns among some local officials and residents about the quality of service following the decision to outsource the emergency call center to Norcomm.
Oak Lawn trustees Bob Streit and Carol Quinlan have raised questions about the performance of the dispatchers since the privatization took effect in January. They believe an independent evaluation is necessary due to several complaints they’ve received from residents regarding the responsiveness and professionalism of the staff. However, Mayor Sandra Bury has dismissed their request for a study, citing confidence in the current system.
At a recent village meeting, Norcomm’s vice president, Michael Tillman, presented a certificate to the board, thanking Oak Lawn for its “continued commitment to excellence†in emergency services. He also noted that Norcomm and the village had successfully handled over 100,000 calls since the two-year contract began on January 22nd. But this gesture didn’t go unnoticed by Streit, who attempted to question Tillman during the meeting. Before he could get a word in, Bury quickly thanked Tillman and said, “I’m sure he’s able to be called.†This move frustrated Streit, who felt it was a staged moment meant to avoid scrutiny.
Streit criticized the way the presentation was handled, saying, “It was obviously well-staged, with him presenting a plaque and then running out before taking questions.†He emphasized that public safety should be the top priority for the board, especially after the outsourcing led to numerous complaints about service quality.
Quinlan echoed these concerns, noting that she had never received such complaints in her seven years on the board prior to the privatization. Her comments were met with applause from the audience, showing support for the board members’ stance.
Streit shared specific examples of problems, including instances where dispatchers failed to show up for work, one who worked six consecutive 16-hour shifts and was denied time off, leading to their resignation. He expressed his discomfort with such situations, questioning whether the board was okay with them.
Desmond, another board member, presented a list of complaints obtained from village records, some dating back to before Norcomm took over. He described being shocked by the nature of the issues, including delayed ambulance responses, excessive sick days, inattention to duty, failure to dispatch police, unprofessional behavior toward callers, and even playing video games at work.
Mayor Bury defended the current setup, stating, “You have someone whipping the public up, and the (911 center) data does not bear that out. The former dispatchers were human, the current dispatchers are human.†She maintained that the transition to Norcomm had been smooth and that the data supported the decision.
Under the two-year contract with Norcomm, the village pays $1.99 million for the first year, with annual increases up to $2.3 million over five years. The agreement also requires 20 dispatchers to reapply for their positions, while Norcomm is responsible for providing 23 full-time staff at the 911 center.
In addition to serving Oak Lawn, the 911 center also supports neighboring communities such as Burbank, Evergreen Park, Bridgeview, Bedford Park, and Central Stickney.
Thanks Dan.