If a dispatcher shows up for all of their assigned shifts at the 9-1-1 center in the nation's capital, they'll receive $800 at the end of the month.
Officials at the embattled center told WUSA9 that dispatchers not showing up for work have added to recent issues.
The latest move to pay bonuses for people to show up for work comes days after an infant died after the center's computer system failed.
The baby's death has not been linked to the failure of the computer aided dispatch program, but it is being investigate. earlier this month to the CAD system failure, the case remains under investigation
Among the recent issues include crews being sent to wrong addresses and calls being put on hold which put lives in jeopardy.
“This is a desperation move clearly,” said Dave Statter, a public safety blogger who has been tracking failures at the 9-1-1 center for many years.
“They've been way overworked at OUC because they're so short-staffed. And some of those people on the floor, they work their shift and then are required to work another six hours because of mandatory overtime. It's difficult.”
It's the fourth-busiest call center in the country, handling over 1.7 million 911 calls last year alone. The agency's public dashboard indicates each shift now has a fourth supervisor. But in July, 58 out of the 66 total shifts did not meet staffing levels, the station reported.
The average annual salary for a call taker is $50,000.
D.C. Council Member Charles Allen told WTOP: “The fact that they have to offer people $800 just to show up for their job — I think it’s highlighting how bad it’s gotten and it’s a management and a leadership failure."
He believes the agency “is in crisis” and added, “There’s not a week that goes by that I don’t hear from a constituent” about 911 calls that ended with a hang-up, a busy signal or what he calls “a bad answer.”
