CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Charlotte City Council members got an update on 911 call times on Monday night, and according to the most recent data, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police isn’t answering calls fast enough.

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CMPD is below the industry standard by 30%, when it comes to answering 911 calls. According to CMPD data, they answer 60% of 911 calls in 10 seconds or less, but the industry standard is 90% of calls getting answered in 10 seconds or less. 

Two years ago CMPD was hitting the industry standard routinely. CMPD’s Deputy Chief, David Robinson, said the wait times are due to staffing shortages.

Council members asked Robinson what their hiring process was for 911 operators, and whether they could simplify the prerequisites. 

“Look, we’re willing to even early hire people and to give them a job to get them through the door as we work through that process. Because, you know, we’ve got opportunities within CMPD that can bring somebody in quicker. But again, we still have drug screening and background checks and things like that, but we’re trying to make it, we do everything we can to hire as many people as we can, from anywhere, anytime, if you want to serve this community, we want to talk to you,” Robinson said. 

CMPD officials also said they’re trying to crack down on all the non-emergency 911 calls they get. Robinson said sometimes people will call 911 to ask about the weather, or just call and hang up repeatedly, which is against the law.