Anne Arundel County police have completed a review of their emergency communications center, stemming from a 2001 incident in which a 911 call about a kidnapped woman was not relayed from dispatchers to the police.
An independent audit of the county’s 911 center found that it was understaffed, under-trained and using outdated technology ? problems police say they are already addressing.
The audit by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International was part of a settlement with the family of Yvette Beakes, a 26-year-old Glen Burnie pharmacist who was carjacked then killed in 2001. Two 911 dispatchers were fired after failing to relay a witness? description of the carjacking to Anne Arundel County police.
“We?re going step-by-step, looking at each section of the report,” said Capt. Athena Plummer, commander of the communications center. “We?re doing an analysis based on what would fit in Anne Arundel that would make our services better.”
The report cited a shortage of 16 dispatchers, with supervisors who felt as though they could not fire under-performing employees because “qualified candidates were virtually nonexistent.”
Plummer said the police have already addressed the problem by actively recruiting, working with the county’s Human Resources department and hiring a part-time employee just for recruitment.
“We have less than 10 vacancies at this point for a unit of more than 90 folks,” she said.
Roger Yoerges, the lawyer who represented Beakes? family in its lawsuit against the county, said the training and staffing problems outlined in the report were “substantial.” He said they could have contributed to the botched call about Beakes? abduction.
Yoerges said he would review the report with the Beakes family, but is pleased with the scrutiny so far.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
