Kimball Report

April 21, 2015

Chief Kathleen 2¶7RROH
Seattle Police Department
610 5th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98124

Subject: Report for Review of the Technical and Operations Status for the Seattle Police Department 911
Communications Center

Dear &KLHI2¶7RROH

L.R. Kimball is pleased to submit one original and a corresponding PowerPoint Presentation of our DRAFT report on the Review
of the Technical and Operations Status for the Seattle Police Department 911 Communications Center for our combined review.

If you have any questions regarding the information submitted, and to schedule our Webinar for review, please contact me by
telephone at 321-277-7442 or via email at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Don Nagle
Senior Consultant

/maj

Enclosure
ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

AVIATION | CIVIL | CONSTRUCTION SERVICES | DATA SYSTEMS | ENVIRONMENTAL
FACILITIES ENGINEERING | GEOSPATIAL | NETWORKS | PUBLIC SAFETY | TRANSPORTATION
,QQRYDWLRQ%RXOHYDUG6XLWH6WDWH&ROOHJH3$-3KRQH)D[www.lrkimball.com

Report for
Centralized Review of the

Technical and Operations Status
for the Seattle Police Department
911 Communications Center

submitted to
Seattle Police
Department, Washington
Seattle, Washington
April 2015 ©
ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

AVIATION | CIVIL | CONSTRUCTION SERVICES | DATA SYSTEMS | ENVIRONMENTAL
FACILITIES ENGINEERING | GEOSPATIAL | NETWORKS | PUBLIC SAFETY | TRANSPORTATION
REPORT FOR
REVIEW OF THE TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONS STATUS
FOR THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT
911 COMMUNICATIONS CENTER
SUBMITTED TO
THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................................................. 1
ROADMAP APPROACH AND FRAMEWORK.......................................................................................................................................... 1
INFORMATION-GATHERING ACTIVITIES.............................................................................................................................................. 2
RECOMMENDED SEATTLE POLICE 911 COMMUNICATIONS OPPORTUNITIES ....................................................................................... 3
CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................................. 3
1. DOCUMENT INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 PURPOSE OF THE DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 AUDIENCE ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.3 TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................................. 4
1.4 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................................. 4
1.5 APPROVAL ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.5.1 Author ....................................................................................................................................................................... 4
1.5.2 Executive Sponsors .................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.5.3 Person(s) Consulted ................................................................................................................................................. 5
1.6 VERSION CONTROL AND DISTRIBUTION ............................................................................................................................. 5
2. OVERVIEW OF 911 SERVICES ² CITY OF SEATTLE, KING COUNTY AND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON ................ 6
2.1 911 OPERATIONS ± AN OVERVIEW .................................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT MANUAL §12.010 ± COMMUNICATIONS .............................................................................. 6
2.3 AN OVERVIEW OF 911 OPERATIONS: STATE OF WASHINGTON CONTEXT ............................................................................ 7
2.4 AN OVERVIEW OF 911 OPERATIONS: KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON ENHANCED 911 PROGRAM OFFICE CONTEXT ................ 7
2.5 AN OVERVIEW 911 OPERATIONS: SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SECTION CONTEXT ......... 8
3. SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS: OPERATIONS, ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......... 10
3.1 ISSUE #1: STAFFING AND WORKLOAD............................................................................................................................. 10
3.1.1 Staffing and Workload - Issues ............................................................................................................................... 10
Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 10
Deliverable ............................................................................................................................................................................ 10
3.2 ISSUE #2: LIMITATIONS IN NETWORKED TECHNOLOGIES FOR 911-CALL HANDLING ........................................................... 11
3.2.1 Limitations in Networked Technologies for 911-call handling - Issues ................................................................... 12
Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Mitigation Strategy includes: ................................................................................................................................................. 13
Deliverable ............................................................................................................................................................................ 13
3.3 ISSUE #3: LIMITATIONS WITH PROCESSING CALLS FROM NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING CALLERS ............................................. 13
3.3.1 911 Equipment: Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) ± Positron, VIPER ............................................................. 13
3.3.2 Limitations with Processing Calls from Non-English Speaking Callers - Issues ..................................................... 14
Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Deliverables........................................................................................................................................................................... 14
3.4 ISSUE #4: CAD SYSTEM LIMITATIONS IN CREATING CALLS FOR SERVICE (EVENT ENTRY). ................................................... 15
3.4.1 Computer Aided Dispatch Equipment: Versaterm ± Versadex CAD System ......................................................... 15
3.4.2 CAD system limitations in creating calls for service (event entry) - Issues ............................................................. 15
April 2015 | P a g e i

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 17
Deliverables........................................................................................................................................................................... 17
3.5 ISSUE #5: SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS DISPATCHING CALLS DURING POLICE SHIFT CHANGE ........... 17
3.5.1 Seattle Police Department Communications dispatching calls during police change - Issues ............................... 18
Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
Deliverable ............................................................................................................................................................................ 19
3.6 ISSUE #6: CURRENT FACILITY DESIGN AND CONSOLE EQUIPMENT ................................................................................... 19
3.6.1 Current Facility Design and Console Furniture Issues ........................................................................................... 19
Recommendation .................................................................................................................................................................. 20
Deliverable ............................................................................................................................................................................ 20
4. RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS......................................................................................................................... 21
4.1 RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................... 21
4.2 NEXT STEPS: SEATTLE 911 ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES ................................................................................................ 21
5. CONCLUSION ...................................................................................................................................................................... 23
APPENDIX 1: GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................................................................................ 24
APPENDIX 2: REFERENCES (CUSTOMER-FURNISHED INFORMATION) .............................................................................. 26
APPENDIX 3: PERSONS CONSULTED ...................................................................................................................................... 49

April 2015 | P a g e ii

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Seattle Police Department (SPD) is in a period of great transition. &KLHI2¶7RROHZDVDSSRLQWHGE\0D\RU(G
Murray in June 2014, with a mandate to make reform of the Seattle Police Department her top priority in response to
the Consent Decree issued by the Department of Justice in 2012. In late, 2014, the Chief launched a number of
initiatives, moving the department toward compliance. The bedrock of the Consent Decree is a substantially
improved relationship between the diverse communities of Seattle and SPD. It will become manifest when the SPD
exhibits no tolerance for excessive force or biased policing and has systems in place to detect, track and thoroughly
and objectively consider use of force incidents, stops and detentions of civilians, allegations of discrimination, and the
like. To demonstrate that reforms have been effectively implemented, SPD must collect and analyze data that shows
that it is meeting the requirements of the Consent Decree and achieving "full and effective compliance." Under the
City of Seattle (&LW\¶V) and the SPD¶VFXUUHQWOHDGHUVKLSJRRGSURJUHVVWRZDUGWKDWHQGLVEHLQJPDGH1

The Chief of Seattle Police Department acquired services from L.R. Kimball (Kimball) for a review of the operational
and technology status of the SPD Communications Center. This review includes a high-level view of the current
operations, technology, staffing levels, hiring practices, training requirements, quality assurance (QA) practices and
SPD standard operating procedures (SOPs). The report identifies strategic areas of which SPD may elect to
implement in an effort to optimize efficiencies, consolidate business processes, accuracies, response times and
overall customer experience with the communications center. It provides a picture of the current operating
environment, establishing a baseline for framing one of several technology roadmaps that Seattle Police Department
may develop to better inform the investment decisions supporting the Emergency Communications Division.

The report was drafted by soliciting input from SPD staff in the Executive Office, Operations, Crime Analysts, Special
Operations and Communications. This cross-disciplinary approach enabled us to evaluate existing processes,
operations and technologies, identifyLQJSRWHQWLDOJDSVDQGUHFRPPHQGDWLRQVIRUPHHWLQJ63'¶VXQLTXHVHWRI
priorities, requirements and long-term goals for public safety communications. After reading this report, staff of the
SPD will understand:
¾ Baseline overview of operations in the communications section
¾ Trends and drivers affecting the communications technology
¾ Gaps and barriers in communications operations that need to be addressed
¾ Potential opportunities that would complement existing efforts and help transform the public safety
communications into an asset for SPD overall

Roadmap Approach and Framework
The Kimball Team organized the bulk of the Communications Review into three main categories: people, processes
and technology. While the categories overlapped throughout the course of the review, several operational goals

1 Seattle Police Monitor, The Seattle Consent Decree http://www.seattlemonitor.com/overview
April 2015 | P a g e 1

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

surfaced as natural themes from the collective input. The proposed goals for this roadmap are defined as feasible,
impactful project outcomes that are often found in public safety communication industry standards. These outcomes
ZRXOGDOORZ63'WRLPSURYHFRPPXQLFDWLRQVVHUYLFHVLQVXSSRUWRIWKH&KLHI¶V3ULRULWLHV2, which served as guiding
principles for creating this framework for a roadmap:
¾ Restore Public Trust
¾ Restore SPD Pride and Professionalism
¾ Address Crime and Quality of Life Issues
¾ Promoting Best Business Practices

The Kimball THDP¶Vinput relating to the current operating environment, processes and technologies are embedded
as supporting sections in the development of this framework. The report lists potential opportunities for improvement
(reform) relating to each issue observed and cited.

Information-gathering Activities
Information gathered for the high-level review included the following activities:
¾ High-level meetings with SPD including:
x Interviews with executive staff on service level expectations
x Interviews with communications center staff on service level expectations
x Current chain of command structure in the communications center
x Interviews with the communications center management staff
¾ High-level review of the existing public safety dispatch technology (subsystem infrastructure) that
includes:
x 9-1-1 Customer premise equipment (CPE)
x Computer aided dispatch (CAD)
x Record management systems (RMS)
x Mobile data information computer (MDIC)
x Geographic information system/automatic vehicle location (GIS/AVL)
x Integration of video into call center and as part of RMS
x Radio infrastructure/resource methodology
¾ High-level review of the existing public safety communications processes that includes:
x Examination of call-taking procedures
o Emergency
o Non-emergency
o Report-taking
x Examination of radio dispatching procedures
o Sector dispatch
o Chief dispatch
o Supervisor
x Examination of QA procedures

2 ³&KLHI¶V3ULRULWLHV´VHH$SSHQGL[2)

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

o Call-taking
o Radio dispatching
o Supervision

Recommended Seattle Police 911 Communications Opportunities
The primary goal of this report is to provide the Police Chief with a concise list of reform opportunities that would
outline the current state of the communications center, identifying potential opportunities that would improvH63'¶V
use of communications technology within operational settings. After conducting additional roadmaps in other priority
technology areas, SPD can identify the project ideas that pose the greatest operational benefit of emergency
communications services to the agency and citizens of Seattle. In total, Kimball identified six (6) immediate potential
reform areas for the SPD to consider. These were identified within the context of public safety communications
industry standards for a public safety answering point (PSAP), and projects being pursued outside of the
communications space so that SPD could complement²rather than duplicate²ongoing efforts in the broader
communications information technology (IT) efforts. Below is the list of the potential reform opportunities discussed
in this report. The recommendations are not intended to be an exhaustive list of the ways in which SPD
Communications needs to improve to better serve the department and citizens. Rather, the Kimball Team hopes that
the readers of this report will recognize these opportunities as initial steps that would help make communications
more operationally viable for the department and overarching public.

Table 1³Observed SPD Communications Issues/Opportunities
Observed SPD Communications Issues/Opportunities
1) Staffing and Workload Issues.
People
2) Limitations in Networked Technologies for 911-call handling.
3) Limitations with processing calls from non-English speaking callers.
Processes
4) CAD system limitations in creating calls for service (event entry).
5) SPD Communications dispatching calls during police shift change.
Technology
6) Current Facility Design and Console Equipment.

Conclusion
In addition to providing context and recommendations for future Communications investment, the report discusses
the Kimball THDP¶Vprocess of framing the SPD 911 Communications roadmap, Seattle Police 911 (SEA911), its
stakeholder involvement strategy and other priority areas that could become the subject of future technology
roadmaps for the department.

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

1. DOCUMENT INFORMATION
1.1 Purpose of the Document
The primary purpose of this review is to establish and communicate the direction for the City of Seattle Police
'HSDUWPHQW¶V(PHUJHQF\&RPPXQLFDWLRQV3URJUDP. The review has been prepared to provide a clear picture of the
FXUUHQWHQYLURQPHQWRIWKH&LW\¶V(PHUJHQF\&RPPXQLFDWLRQV&HQWHUZLWKDIRXQGDWLRQIRUDVWUDWHJLFSODQWRPRYH
forward more efficiently to meet the needs of the citizens of the City of Seattle.

The report will provide a high-level overview of the current state of operations, technology, staffing requirements,
hiring practices, training requirements and examination of the SOPs.

1.2 Audience
ThLVGRFXPHQWLVLQWHQGHGIRUWKH&KLHI¶V2IILFHRIWKHSPD and key stakeholders.

1.3 Terms and Abbreviations

Information and definitions of some of the terms, abbreviations and acronyms used in this document can be found in
Appendix 1.

1.4 References
Materials used and additional information about the references made in this document can be found in Appendix 2.

1.5 Approval
Approval of this document resides solely with staff internal to L.R. Kimball and ultimately with the Seattle Police
Department, Office of the Chief of Police.

1.5.1 Author
Kimball Project Team:
¾ Donald Nagle, Senior Consultant (Point of Contact)
¾ Jenny Hansen, Senior Consultant
¾ R.D. Porter, Senior Consultant.


REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

1.5.2 Executive Sponsors
&KLHIRI3ROLFH.DWK\2¶7RROH6HDWWOH3ROLFH'HSDUWPHQW

1.5.3 Person(s) Consulted

Please refer to Appendix 3 for the list of names of those people consulted during the strategic review activities that
contributed to the production of this document.

1.6 Version Control and Distribution

Table 2³Version Control
Version Date Reason for Version Distribution List

1.0 03/09/2015 Initial draft for review by SPD LRK Internal (securing schedule w/SPD)
1.0 04/08/2015 Draft report routed to SPD &KLHI2¶7RROH
1.0 04/14/2015 Draft report reviewed with SPD Command Staff/Communications Staff
1.0 04/15/2015 Draft report reviewed with SPD Precinct Captains/City Council Staff
2.0 04/19/2015 Updated language in §3.4.2.2 LRK Internal/SPD Captain Rasmussen


REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

2. OVERVIEW OF 911 SERVICES ± CITY OF SEATTLE,

KING COUNTY AND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
All 911 calls require guaranteed Quality of Service (QoS). This is not an easy feat as the transmission medium is
varied and, as technology evolves;; 911-service delivery becomes more complex. ,W¶VLPSRUWDQWKRZHYHUWR
understand the current, basic call routing process in order to understand the processes required to handle the
incoming 911 traffic. This section provides a high level overview of 911 operations that includes an overview of the
911 equipment, network and decision-making processes, starting at the State level.

2.1 911 Operations ± an Overview

The purpose of enhanced 911 (E911) systems is to connect a caller with an emergency to the correct responding
agency. Current E911 systems consist of three separate elements:
¾ The network
¾ The PSAP
¾ Data Management System/Automatic location identification (DMS/ALI) system
¾ The Data Management System.

A CAD system is used to generate calls for service, dispatch and maintain the status of first responders/field units.
The primary elements of a CAD system include:
¾ Call entry
¾ Call dispatch
¾ Call status
¾ Call/event notes
¾ Field unit status/tracking
¾ Call resolution/disposition.

The 911 and CAD systems are tightly integrated for creating calls for service. All call information is populated into
the CAD call entry template for processing (including event entry through dispatch processes). Upon conclusion of
an event, the CAD entries are automatically stored and transferred to the RMS.

2.2 Seattle Police Department Manual §12.010 ± Communications

The process of receiving, screening, and prioritizing calls for police service, dispatching units and resolving the
incident should be one smooth-flowing operation. Even though different phases of the process are controlled by
personnel assigned to different functions, the success and speed of the operation remain the primary goals. This
involves the delegation of responsibility, authority and accountability, within specified limits, to different operational
units.


REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

Decisions must be made in matters of deployment of field strength and resources. For these decisions to be made
with continuity and rapidity, they must be placed with the individuals having the most accurate information available
to them. The SPD expects full reciprocal cooperation between the communications dispatchers and all units,
regardless of rank.3

2.3 An Overview of 911 Operations: State of Washington Context

7KH:DVKLQJWRQ0LOLWDU\'HSDUWPHQW¶V(PHUJHQF\0DQDJHPHQW'LYLVLRQFRRUGLQDWHVWKHRSHUDtion of the statewide
E911 system. In addition, the division manages the statewide E911 network and provides funding assistance to local
governments to help them operate 911 call centers. The pass-through funds move from the State 911 Office to local
government 911 Program Offices. ,Q6HDWWOH¶VFDVHWKH6WDWHSDVVHVWKHIXQGVWRWKH.LQJ&RXQW\3URJUDP

7KH6WDWH¶VE911 unit works with counties and communications companies to ensure the E911 system is operational
and available throughout the State. The State E911 Advisory Committee, comprised of managers from various State
agencies, advises and assists the State E911 Coordinator in facilitating the operation of E911 throughout the State
by:
¾ Participating in collective efforts to set uniform national and State standards for enhanced 911 services
with agencies and regulators.
¾ Developing recommendations for actions to be taken by the State E911 Program through assignment of
tasks to committees or work groups.4

Next Generation 911 (NG911) systems will allow individuals to contact a 911 PSAP through a voice call, text or data
message (e.g., email, photos). In 2014, E911 staff developed a request for proposal (RFP) to solicit bids for
upgrading the backbone of the SWDWH¶VE911 system, the emergency services Internet protocol network (ESInet),
necessary to expand NG911. The RFP should be released in early 2015.5

2.4 An Overview of 911 Operations: King County, Washington

Enhanced 911 Program Office Context
The King County (County) E-911 Program Office administers the regional emergency 911-telephone system for all
twelve emergency call centers in King County, providing and maintaining all telephony equipment and infrastructure
upgrades.

3 Seattle Police Department Manual http://www.seattle.gov/police-manual/title-12---department-information-systems/12010---
communications
4 State of Washington, Emergency Management Division E911 Advisory Committee http://mil.wa.gov/static/91/advisory-
committee
5 Washington Military Department, Annual Report 2014 http://mil.wa.gov/uploads/pdf/annual-report/2014-annual-report-
web.pdf

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

More than 1.76 million 911 calls were received in King County in 2014. Seattle Police Communications handles
roughly one-third of the total volume of the County, answering more than 588,749 calls in 2014. This represents an 8
percent increase in call volume for the SPD Communications Center in the last year.

2.5 An Overview 911 Operations: Seattle Police Department

Emergency Communications Section Context
Seattle Police Communications is designated as a primary PSAP and answers all 911 requests for service within the
Seattle City limits. Requests for fire or medical response are then transferred directly to the Seattle Fire Department
(SFD) dispatch center. Seattle has used 911 as an emergency number since April 1971. The current system
processes both teletype (TTY) and voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) calls but has not yet been upgraded to handle
video, images or text messaging.

Call-WDNHUVDQGGLVSDWFKHUVXVH&$'WHUPLQDOVWRUDSLGO\UHFRUGDQGWUDQVPLWFDOOHYHQWLQIRUPDWLRQWRWKHRIILFHU¶VYLD
their mobile data terminal (MDT) in the patrol cars. The resulting call event history data is pushed to an RMS,
providing extensive capability for production of management reports and workload monitoring.

All radio talk groups, telephone lines, and many of the intercom lines are recorded on the communications sHFWLRQ¶V
voice recorder. This allows for instantaneous replays and provides documentation for later research.6

The mission of the SPD Communications Center is to provide and support a telephone and radio communications
system, which is the primary ingredient in the delivery of emergency services to the citizens of Seattle.

The SPD Communications Center provides the following services:
¾ 911 Emergency call-taking operations
¾ Non-emergency call-taking operations
¾ Radio communications
¾ Alternate call handling operations (telephone report-taking)
¾ Various electronic and telephone operations for law enforcement
¾ Operator/call data and statistics
¾ Communications-related reports/recordings

The single most critical capability of the 911 service is telephone functionality. The current 911 network is used to
answer calls for police and fire emergencies within the City of Seattle. All types of lines, including 911, 10-digit
emergency, administrative, report-handling and ring-down circuits terminate at the Communications Center located at
the West Precinct building.
There are three telephone numbers available to the public that can be used to request police, fire, or medical
services:

6 Seattle Police Department Communications Section Overview;; www.seattle.gov/police

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

¾ 911 - for any in-progress, life-threatening emergency (police, fire, or medical) for callers inside the city
limits. In general, cellular phone calls are routed to the PSAP where the cell phone tower receiving the
signal is located.
¾ 583-2111 ± the seven-digit emergency number used by callers outside the city limits.
¾ 625-5011 - a non-emergency number that can be used to report past incidents or general requests for
service (such as abandoned vehicles or vacation watches).
¾ If unsure of which telephone number to use, citizens are encouraged to call 911.

The primary source of emergency calls to the SFD is through SDP Communications. Seattle fire and emergency
medical dispatch operations calls are transferred to SFD Communications Section.

The balance of this page is intentionally left blank.

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

3. SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS:

OPERATIONS, ISSUES AND RECOMMENDATIONS
3.1 Issue #1: Staffing and Workload
The SPD is the largest municipal law enforcement agency in Washington State7 (let alone in King County). The
GHSDUWPHQWRSHUDWHVWKH&LW\¶V(PHUJHQF\&RPPXQLFDWLRQVCenter and has seen a steady increase in 911 calls over
the past five consecutive years.

One hundred eighteen personnel are assigned to the 63'¶s Communications Section. Six individuals are sworn and
one hundred twelve are civilian. Of the total personnel, 98 function as call-takers and/or radio dispatchers.8

3.1.1 Staffing and Workload - Issues

¾ Staff Allocation. Staffing numbers for full-time equivalent (FTE) employees has not changed in twenty
years.
¾ 6XSHUYLVRU·V6SDQRI&RQWURO. Span of control for communications supervisors is 33 to 1 (i.e. 1 shift
supervisor to 33 call-takers/dispatchers).
¾ Workforce Management. Manual process for supervisors to schedule shift (takes the bulk of one full
shift to schedule the following day).
¾ Succession Planning. Support/specialized positions near retirement with no back-up or trained
resources. Records/tape custodian (Public Collection Agency [PCA] Tapes Office), CAD equipment
management, statistics and call data management are all support positions staffed by veteran dispatchers
nearing retirement. Some of them are at capacity vacation time accruals with no means to backfill their
slots given the specialized duties. 6HH³3&$7DSHV2IILFH:RUNORDG,QFUHDVHV<HDU-to-<HDU´LQ$SSHQGL[
2.

Recommendation
¾ Analysis: Formal Staffing and Workload Analysis. Include all communications staff (e.g. supervisor,
dispatch, call-taker, alternative call-handling unit (ACHU) officer, command staff, etc.).

Deliverable
¾ SPD Communications Staffing and Workload Analysis and Recommendation Report

7 Seattle.gov. About SPD http://www.seattle.gov/police/about/default.htm
8 Seattle Police Department Communications Section Overview in Appendix 2.
April 2015 | P a g e 10

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

3.2 Issue #2: Limitations in Networked Technologies for 911-Call
Handling
.LQJ&RXQW\¶V(3URJUDPDGPLQLVWHUVWKHQHWZRUNIRUDOOWZHOYH36$3VLQWKH&RXQW\. Dedicated 911 trunks
are overlaid in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) from a Century Link Central Office (CO) through the
network to each PSAP. Dedicated (session initiation protocol [SIP]) trunks transport 911 calls only and are typically
provided in a quantity to ensure a very high probability of call delivery to the PSAP. Therefore, the current 911
network design and workflow should support the City of Seattle at the highest anticipated project peak hour and be
able to accommodate all incoming 911 traffic. The 911 call volume is steadily increasing in the County. There is a
plan to add 911 trunks to accommodate the added volume. The SPD communications annual trunk line counts (2003
± 2014) is found in Appendix 2.

Current call flow representing the non-emergency handling processes is illustrated in the work flow diagrams
provided in Appendix 2.

A high level overview of 911 call flow for SPD Communications is as follows:
¾ The initial 911 call is automatically routed via the automatic call distributor (ACD) to an emergency queue
to ensure that incoming emergency calls are answered in the order in which they are received.
¾ The ACD is interfaced to a Symonview Reader Board positioned on the wall of the communications
center. The Board is a lighted display of inbound calls on the ACD and is categorized by line type (e.g.,
911, secondary, non-emergency, telephone reporting unit, alternative call-handling unit TRU/ACHU line,
etc.) and presents total time the call has been in the respective queue. An audible tone (gong) is
generated from the board when a call is waiting in the 911 queue for longer than 10 seconds. The tone
serves to alert the communications floor of waiting inbound 911 calls with no call-takers showing available
in the system.
¾ The ACD routes the call that has been waiting the longest to the first available SPD call-taker.
¾ The 911 call is automatically connected to the (primary) call-taker who is alerted to incoming call through
a tone in their headset;; this is known as a forced call delivery method.
¾ The location of the caller information is DFTXLUHGXVLQJ,QWUDGR¶V9LSHU&XVWRPHU&3(YLDWKH$/,
database.
¾ 7KH&$'V\VWHPLQWHUIDFHDOORZVWKH&3(WRIXUQLVKWKHHPHUJHQF\FDOOHU¶VORFDWLRQLQIRUPDWLRQZLWK
function key entry. At a minimum, it provides the retrieved ALI for an emergency call, as well as the
answering position identification.
¾ The call-taker questions the caller by asking for the location of the emergency, and validating the address
provided via the CAD event mask.
¾ In the event of the need for the SFD, the call-taker transfers the call(s) to the SFD or the secondary PSAP
according to agency protocols. In that situation, the SFD call-taker takes over the call and begins
questioning the caller according to agency protocols. The SPD call-taker disconnects from the call when
s/he hears the caller and SFD call-taker verify the address as originally provided to SPD. There is no
verbal exchange between call-takers.
¾ In the event the call-taker determines a call is not an emergency (low priority 911 call), the call-taker
transfers the caller to the secondary queue (back-line call-taker).
April 2015 | P a g e 11

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

¾ During spikes of calls (higher than average call volume), the surge queue is opened by the shift
supervisor to accommodate the volume and when reader boards show long waiting call times for
secondary calls. Guidelines for such transfers are provided in the Seattle Police Department
Memorandum (January 17, 2014) in Appendix 2.
¾ In the event a caller wishes to file a police report, the call-taker transfers the caller to the ACHU line (or
gives the caller the option to callback or leave information to receive a callback from the ACHU officer on
duty).

3.2.1 Limitations in Networked Technologies for 911-call handling - Issues
3.2.1.1 Blocked 911 Calls

Transferred 911 calls to secondary (non-emergency) lines are seizing the 911 trunk until such time the call is
terminated (e.g., the ability for the 911 trunk to be used for incoming 911 calls is blocked due to non-emergency call
transferred calls). Wait times in the secondary or surge queues often go well beyond ten minutes.

3.2.1.2 Inaccurate Call Processing Counts

When all trunks are busy, subsequent inbound 911 callers receive a fast-busy signal and do not connect to the ACD
system, and do not appear on the reader board (e.g., 911 callers do not get through to the network, let alone the SPD
Communications Center). Therefore, these calls are not counted in total call volumes (as if they never happened).
.LQJ&RXQW\¶V(3URJUDPYLD&HQWXU\/LQNPD\EHDEOHWRFRXQWWKHVHHYHQWV;; however, they are not provided
to SPD.

Recommendation
Analysis: 911 Network Analyses. Considerations include:
¾ Where are the calls blocking? (1) Access, (2) on the trunks and facilities out to the SPD Communications
Center. If there are SPD call-takers idle and there are complaints/records of blocked calls, then there is a
problem before the calls get to the PSAP, but where?
¾ Analyze all Trunks (multi-frequency (MF), signaling system 7 [SS7], integrated services digital network
[ISDN] primary rate interface [PRI], SIP), look at the legacy selective router in the call flow, and check the
selective router (SR) to ESInet trunks, then check the migration plan for facilities from the ESInet SPD
Communications.
¾ Transfers take up trunk capacity, as well as calls handled. Check for the numbers of calls transferred
between lines and ensure the capacity is good to get out of the PSAP, sending the calls via SIP back to
the ESInet accordingly.
¾ Analyze the migration plan for emergency call routing function (ECRF). If the GIS routing is not optimal,
there could be a lot of default routing and by sending all the call data using SIP, capacity/bandwidth is
taken up while transferring out to other lines.
¾ In the event calls are coming to the wrong PSAP due to GIS records failures, even more time is taken up
to complete a call to the correct PSAP.
April 2015 | P a g e 12

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

¾ The provided diagram is not a routing diagram. It is a PSAP diagram for the most part. Obtain a call
routing diagram from King County E911 Program.
¾ Central office call overflow option. During critical incidents, or incidents that generate an unusually high
call volume, the SPD may want to change the size of the ACD incoming call queue. The service provider,
in this case, Century Link, typically has a feature available to handle CO call overflow. This feature allows
911 calls to be routed to an alternate network, e.g., 911 overflow calls resulting from busy conditions or
facility interruptions between the CO and the routers. This function;; however, is dependent on King
County requirements coupled with Century Link capabilities. Information was not available during the
course of the site visit to determine if this feature exists and, if it does, how it is managed.

Mitigation Strategy includes:
¾ Call traps and traces needs to be done to see what is going on at the granular level. There are tools to
monitor and alert for calls blocked and alert the designated person responsible for blocked call analyses.
¾ Transfers ought not take up minutes like this. If the network is sized incorrectly, SPD needs to alert King
County E911 Program Office, get the vendor in the room with the engineers as soon as possible.
¾ Put up traps. Call Oracle and get their SIP protocol analyzer in place. This will show data such as call
completion and answer supervision in the trunk. If there is none, it tears down the trunking.
¾ 3URDFWLYHSDUWLFLSDWLRQLQ.LQJ&RXQW\¶V3URJUDPSODQVIRU63'E\63',7&LW\RI6HDWWOH
Department of Information Technology [DoIT];; both).

Deliverable
¾ City of Seattle 911 Network Analysis and Recommendations Report.

3.3 Issue #3: Limitations with Processing Calls from Non-English

Speaking Callers
3.3.1 911 Equipment: Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) ± Positron, VIPER
King County 911 Program Office contracted with Century Link for the telephone network/911 call-routing and Intrado
to provide the SPD Communications Center 911 call-taking functionality. These vendors have provided a package of
CPE software including Power 911, Positron Viper, X-Trakker Mapping and NICE Systems Voice Logging Recorder.
Positron Viper provides a user-interface for the call-WDNHUWKDWGLVSOD\VWKHFDOOLQJSDUW\¶VSKRQHQXPEHURU$1,DQG
location information (ALI), along with other functionality. Avaya Contact Center Manager is used as the centralized
administrative tool for managing call-taker roles, skillsets (e.g., languages spoken, etc.), and call flow management,
and provides historical reporting on call-taker and console activity.

The Intrado Positron CPE provides a digital environment including ACD and a suite of administrative call functions.
This software centralizes call-taking applications on an open platform for integration of telephony functions with
mapping, incident tracking, radio, CAD, digital logging and third-party applications including transfers.

According to the U.S. &HQVXVLQDERXWSHUFHQWRI6HDWWOH¶VFLWL]HQVVSHDNDODQJXDJHRWKHUWKDQ(QJOLVK
at home. The King County 911 Program provides language interpretation service to the Seattle Police
April 2015 | P a g e 13

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

Communications Center. The service is available through a contract between the King County 911 Program Office
and Language Line Services, the current vendor.

The SPD Communications accesses this service for language interpretation for non-English speaking 911 callers by
using three-way calling to a dedicated telephone number via a preprogrammed conference feature button on the
CPE (speed dial function). In 2014, SPD Communications used Language Line Services for more than 1,064 911
calls for translation of 29 languages.9 The SPD Communications receives an automated phone tree when first
reaching the Language Line Service and is asked to select a number corresponding to the language needing
translation. The phone tree process loops until such time an available translator (with the appropriate language
skillset) answers the line. Delays in this process are reported to take as long as seven minutes before a Language
Line Operator answers the line. In these cases, the SPD Call-takers are limited in what she/he can do with the
call(er) other than create an unknown event (call type), solely based on what is heard on the phone and the
(unverified) ANI/ALI.

3.3.2 Limitations with Processing Calls from Non-English Speaking Callers -

Issues
3.3.2.1 Call Answer Delays

Delays with Language Line Services operators answering the 911 transfer lines.

3.3.2.2 Limited Troubleshooting

No formal process for reporting problems or troubleshooting 911 contract services issues between SPD
Communications and King County E911 Program Office.

Recommendation
¾ Analysis: Language Line Services Provisioning to SPD Communications.
¾ Analysis: Troubleshooting processes for 911 Networked services between King County E911 Program
and SPD Communications.

Deliverables
¾ SPD Communications Language Line Services Provisioning Analysis and Recommendations Report.
¾ Formal troubleshooting process for 911 contract services between SPD and King County E911 Program
Office.

9 Seattle Police Communications Language Line Call Counts (2014) in Appendix 2.
April 2015 | P a g e 14

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

3.4 Issue #4: CAD system limitations in creating calls for service
(event entry).
3.4.1 Computer Aided Dispatch Equipment: Versaterm ± Versadex CAD System
Computer aided dispatch systems have proven their worth in public safety over the years. Call-takers can enter call
information, and accuracy and speed are improved over manual systems. Officer safety is enhanced by the
availability of online databases include hazard warnings, premise information or other information. Additionally, a
CAD system is required as a front-end to mobile computing and records management applications. In a fully
integrated environment, more time savings and greater quality in investigations are achievable.

Most CAD systems allow the call-takers/dispatchers to arrange their display screens so that information is laid out
using floating windows. This makes the system easier to use and also provides an intuitive display structure for data
entry and decision support. The basic information needed to open and initiate a call for service is the type of call
(nature of the complaint, what is your emergency?), the location of the call (where is your emergency?) and priority
(when it occurred). Depending on the priority of a call, and after the basic information is entered;; the call can be
routed to the radio dispatcher for handling. This is helpful for streamlined event entry with crimes in progress, as the
call-taker can provide a shell call (baseline call entry with the aforementioned minimum information) and get it routed
to the dispatcher for immediate handling.

Despite the commonality in this general procedure for entering calls for service, there are variations in the CAD
industry as to the design, screen format and human-machine interface (e.g., the effective operation and control of the
CAD system from the call-taker/dispatcher perspective) to name a few vendor-specific design features. In all cases;;
however, the CAD event entry process is to be easy-to-use, intuitive technology that allows rapid entry for incoming
calls with quick access of available resources.

In 2007, at the time when the existing Northrop Grumman CAD services contract was about to expire, and in an effort
to improve the delivery of CAD services, the SPD launched a project to research CAD vendors for a new and/or
upgraded system. The City opted for an RMS with CAD and mobile field reporting (e.g., a vendor that provided a
suite of products). The CAD/RMS system is provided by Ottawa-based Versaterm which produces a suite of
products termed Versadex, the suite of products selected in 2008 by the Seattle Police Department. The Versadex
CAD software is integrated with the CPE to provide caller information, along with MDT in patrol cars, mobile report
entry (MRE) and RMS, the core of the Versadex software suite. The CAD functions include E911 ANI/ALI display,
event entry, premise information, contact information, on-line mapping and automatic timers to name a few. A
separate status monitor at each console is used for tracking unit status. To note, of the four CAD vendors proposed,
9HUVDWHUP¶V&$'SURGXFWUDQNHGIRXUWK

3.4.2 CAD system limitations in creating calls for service (event entry) - Issues
3.4.2.1 Call Entry Delays.

The CAD event entry process is clunky at best. The call-taker has to navigate between screens, not windows, but
move on and off various event masks (screens) in order to enter one complete call for service. The following pieces
April 2015 | P a g e 15

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

of information, frequently included in 911 calls for police assistance, require the call-taker to navigate through
separate event masks to create a call for service:
¾ Reporting party (or witness) information
¾ Subject description (suspect or party requiring assistance),
¾ Vehicle information/description.

This is not an inclusive list, but it represents a looming problem with call processing times. Even viewing the veteran
call-takers, it was apparent that the technology was hindering the workflow rather than enhancing it. Each call-taker
observed seemed to have a style or work around solution that suited them and that eventually got them to the
completed call for service and conclusion of a call. However, it took some time to get there. Call processing could
vary from 30 seconds to 2 minutes depending on the amount of detail provided by the caller and overall agility and
skill-level of the call-taker.
3.4.2.2 Computer Aided Dispatch System Freezes

It was reported to the Kimball Team that the CAD system froze (hour glass symbol) several times a week on
average. During the graveyard shift, a communications staff member would shut down (turn off) and reboot (turn on)
the CAD system at each workstation. WKLOHWKLVLVSURYHQWRLPSURYHZRUNVWDWLRQLQVWDELOLW\LWLVQ¶WOLNHO\WKDWLW¶V
related to the CAD system. It was coincidental that the frequency of CAD system freezes was fewer and staff
members related the actions together. The sporadic occurrences of the CAD system freezing need to be thoroughly
examined. Additionally, the presumption of how workstations are maintained and/or upgraded may be cause for
misinterpretation of workstation performance or fixes. A more consistent, formalized troubleshooting and
maintenance communiqué may help in this regard.

3.4.2.3 Seattle Police Department Information Technology Maintenance

The IT department conducts maintenance on all systems supported in the police department. Planned down time is
a part of the maintenance process and it affects the communications section on a regular basis. Once a month, for a
few hours, on average, the communications center staff resort to manual mode (paper event slips that are completed
by call-takers and hand-carried to the radio dispatchers) during maintenance. Backlogged events/calls for service
are handled by the CAD Administrator or designee as necessary.

3.4.2.4 Limited Troubleshooting

As stated earlier, communications staff creates work around solutions for any number of processes in order to get the
job done. Call-takers and dispatchers are some of the most resourceful people in a public safety agency. This is
especially true for SPD. For the aforementioned issues concerning the equipment, work around processes are often
created as there are no formal processes with which to troubleshoot problems when they surface. The overlap in
hierarchy, ownership and maintenance agreements, coupled with disparate communication sources (e.g., email,
verbal advisement, department memorandum, etc.) contribute to this issue.

April 2015 | P a g e 16

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

3.4.2.5 Inaccurate Call Processing Times.
In addition to the call-processing time issues pertaining to the 911 network, call processing continues through to the
CAD system with event entry. Given the limitations brought by the current technology, a true record of end-to-end
call processing time is not necessarily understood via traditional reports on line lounts, or lalls for service reports.

Recommendation
¾ Analysis: SPD Communications Versaterm, Versadex CAD Product Performance and Functionality.
¾ Analysis: Troubleshooting processes for CAD functionality and performance.

Mitigation Strategy includes:
¾ Work with the vendor (Versaterm) in reviewing the current performance and functionality. Inquire about
the road map and software changes for the future.
¾
Deliverables
¾ SPD Communications Versaterm, Versadex CAD Product Performance and Functionality Analysis and
Recommendations Report.
¾ Formal troubleshooting process for CAD functionality and performance.
¾ Overview: SPD Communications equipment maintenance process.

3.5 Issue #5: Seattle Police Department Communications

Dispatching Calls During Police Shift Change
One of the most essential missions of the SPD is to provide an effective, dependable and professional response to
calls for service. One of our most basic expectations is that patrol officers and supervisors will ensure that calls are
answered on a timely basis.

Duty hours are well established and calls for service will be dispatched throughout the entire shift. Zone dispatchers
have some discretion under current protocols to hold a call for the next watch when the patrol duty hours close to
ending and the call is a low priority. Consideration will also be given to holding a call in a sector so that the assigned
officer can respond and we can reduce cross sector dispatching.10

There is a common thread of frustration expressed regarding dispatching calls during the last hour of a given shift
(shift change timeframes) from both the operations and communications section of the SPD. While there are policies
(e.g., Aggressive Dispatching) and directives in place from disparate sources that address various options, levels of
responsibility and the common end game of dispatching and answering up for a call, the problem has become
embedded over the years as a recurring issue every day and for each shift. This is another issue that has direct
bearing on the overall customer experience with the police department as it impacts not only the time for a patrol unit
to arrive on scene to the caller or person requiring assistance, but to the actual results of the call. Some results are

10 Excerpt from Seattle Police Department Directive: D08-041, Responding to Calls for Service (July 30, 2008) in Appendix 2.
April 2015 | P a g e 17

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

merely measured in time delays, while others are measured in matters concerning safety to the person on the other
end of the phone.

3DWUROZRXOGRIWHQDVN³Why GLGQ¶WWKH'LVSDWFKHUJLYHWKLVFDOOWRWKHSUHYLRXVVKLIW"´DQGWKHcommunications
dispatcher ZRXOGDVN³Why DUHQ¶WWKHXQLWVDQVZHULQJRUEHFRPLQJDYDLODEOHIRUWKLVFDOO"´ The root causes vary
(based on the limited time spent observing and interviewing patrol and communications staff):
¾ Low priority call
¾ Directive from the supervisor (field or communications) to hold the call for the next shift
¾ Field units not acknowledging radio communications (any number of reasons)
¾ Dispatcher/field unit error, etc.

The bottom line is that the issue needs to be addressed and the policies upheld and enforced consistently in the
department overall.

7KHODFNRIHQIRUFHPHQWRUPLWLJDWLQJFKDQJHGRHVQ¶WQHFHVVDULO\SRLQWWRSRRUVXSHUYLVLRQEXWmore likely a lack of
consistent handling all around.

3.5.1 Seattle Police Department Communications dispatching calls during police

change - Issues
3.5.1.1 Disparate sources for communicating policies, procedures and related

changes
The SPD policies and procedures are found in different sources including:
¾ Directives
¾ Memorandum
¾ SPD Department Manual
¾ Email

Disparate processes limits the capacity to hold staff accountable for giving notice on new, reminders or changing
policies.

3.5.1.2 Inconsistent and/or no formalized protocol between Seattle Police

Department Patrol and Communications for Handling Shift Change-
Dispatching Issues (In Real-Time or Post-Incident)
Recommendation
¾ Analysis: Conduct a comprehensive look at the issues, root causes and current policy/procedure sources
for items relating to SPD patrol shift change and dispatch operations.
April 2015 | P a g e 18

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

¾ Analysis: Conduct a comprehensive look at the protocols in place and/or used in the field and in the
Communications Section for issues concerning patrol shift change and dispatch operations.

Deliverable
¾ Seattle Police Department Dispatch Operations and Field Unit Response to Calls for Service Analysis and
Recommendations Report.

3.6 Issue #6: Current Facility Design and Console Equipment

The existing design, layout and function of the furniture and console positions is dated and in various states of
disrepair. This item was mentioned in most instances of sitting along with communications staff during the course of
the site visit. The staff has become accustomed to working with the current conditions by creating work around
solutions (e.g., SURSSLQJFRQVROHZDOOSDQHOVLQSODFHVRWKH\GRQ¶WIDOORYHURUMXst using the fXUQLWXUHLQLWV¶FXUUHQW
state (³If LWGRHVQ¶WKXUWDQ\RQHZHXVXDOO\GRQ¶WUHSRUWLW´).

In FY2014, SPD authorized the communications section to replace the cHQWHU¶Vconsole furniture that would
maximize the configuration options for the users and provide an ergonomically correct environment for the
communications staff to perform their duties. Most of the communications staff was involved in this effort from
developing design options to furniture selection. The new design was reached, console furniture selected and
funding allocated for the purchase and implementation.11

/DWHLQWKHSURMHFWWKH&LW\¶VRIILFHRI)LQDQFHDQG$GPLQLVWUDWLYH6HUYLFHV)$6RYHUVHHLQJWhe procurement
process, advised SPD Communications that a portion of the total project funds was no longer available. The
$400,000 originally authorized for the procurement services portion of the contract was reallocated to other
programs. The project was immediately stopped and shelved. Not only did this thwart the program and opportunity
for working with fully functional console equipment, morale in the communications center took a severe hit.

3.6.1 Current Facility Design and Console Furniture Issues
3.6.1.1 Seattle Police Department Communications Center Design

The current design does not maximize the allotted space in the room to accommodate:
¾ Workstation equipment (e.g., human machine interface issues)
¾ Foot traffic in and around the workstations
¾ Optimized visibility between supervisors and line personnel (and vice versa)
¾ Growth for adding positions or equipment.

11 Watson - Seattle Police Department Communications Center Floor Layout and Design (10/14/14). Refer to the
Communications Section for plans/blueprints.

April 2015 | P a g e 19

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

3.6.1.2 Console Furniture
The console and furniture in the SPD Communications Center is in the state of disrepair and hinders the workflow of
communications staff.

Recommendation
¾ Revive the Center Design and Console Furniture Project: Reauthorize the SPD Communications Console
Furniture Design/Implementation Project.
¾ Fully fund the Project: Allocate and secure appropriate funding to update the existing plans as needed,
through full implementation.
Deliverable
¾ Fully implemented SPD Communications Redesign and Console Furniture Project.

April 2015 | P a g e 20

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

4. RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

4.1 Recommendations
Ahead of the procurement of new systems, implementation of new processes, and even mitigating the six cited
issues in this report, the following activities should be considered in order to prepare for moving the communications
center forward with no degradation of current levels of services:
¾ Perform due diligence on the full scope of the given project, investigating the feasibility to implement,
options to implement, interdependencies and estimate costs and timescales.
¾ After the due diligence activities have been completed, perform a requirements compliance exercise with
the operational and technical teams with SPD, DoIT, and King County to formally baseline the stakeholder
requirements that will be delivered by the project.
¾ Prioritize requirements and create the baselines for the budget and schedule, mapped to the base-lined
scope defined in a Project Statement of Work.
¾ 5HYLHZH[LVWLQJSURMHFWVDW63'H[DPLQLQJWKHLUDOLJQPHQWZLWKWKHUHVSHFWLYHSURMHFW¶VJRDOVDQG
objectives to refine their scope or transition them appropriately.
¾ Determine and define the 63'¶V portfolio of projects.
x Initiate those projects that deliver immediate operational needs for immediate stakeholder benefits
(low-hanging fruit, etc.).
x Create a detailed SPD (Communications) Project Roadmap with and/or among the portfolio of SPD
projects.
¾ Develop a Support and Maintenance Model for all subsystems located in or delivering services to the
communications center, both current state and future state, including but not limited to:
x How external projects deliver into the communications center, roles, responsibilities, processes, and
change management.
x How external projects/systems are supported in relation to the emergency communications systems
within the 911/communications center.
4.2 Next Steps: Seattle 911 Issues and Opportunities

The opportunities for SPD Communications far exceeds mitigating the aforementioned issues. The people, caliber
and professionalism of the current SPD Communications staff combined with the technologies available for
emergency communications today lend themselves to improving processes, efficiencies and capabilities of the SPD
overall. For the 911 program-wide, it is essential that SPD is involved with King County early (and often) to provide
direct input in establishing requirements throughout the design, implementation, integration, testing and training
environments for the 911 network and subsystem equipment. Similarly, incorporating shared resources and not
duplicating environments (within SPD or between subsystems integrated within the City) would greatly improve 9-1-1
services in Seattle. That said, the options for a SEA911 vision for emergency communications services in Seattle
must take into consideration the current operating environment lessons learned and the challenges, opportunities
and considerations inherent in a Roadmap for reform. This Roadmap, with defined goals should include associated
April 2015 | P a g e 21

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

supporting operational objectives that provide more specific direction for what the Police Chief wants to achieve as a
fully executable strategy for moving SPD Communications into the future.

April 2015 | P a g e 22

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

5. CONCLUSION
The process by which this initial framework for the SPD Communications Roadmap was created generated a great
deal of input, ideas and opportunities for SPD Communications and other technology-focused programs for the SPD
to consider. The potential on the department can be tremendous given the appropriate and successful application of
support to address some of the opportunities listed in this report. This report is intended to convey the need for the
Seattle Police Department (including IT, research and development [R&D], project management teams) to complete
and update the Communications Roadmap as it identifies, vets and plans communications technology projects.
Meanwhile, other project efforts in the City and within the department will likely launch additional project efforts to
identify similar opportunities for technology advancement in the interest of equipping the SPD with the most effective
technologies, people and processes possible to save lives and property.

The Kimball Team would again like to thank those who contributed to the completion of this assessment.


April 2015 | P a g e 23

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

APPENDIX 1: GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Answering Position, an appropriately equipped location within a PSAP that is used to receive incoming 911 calls.
Automatic Call Distributor (ACD), equipment that distributes incoming calls to available PSAP attendants in the
order the calls are received, or holds calls until an attendant becomes available.
Automatic Location Identification (ALI), the system capability to identify automatically the geographical location of
the telephone being used by the caller and to provide a display of that location information at any public safety
answering point.
ALI Database, a derivative, verified set of records which contain, at a minimum, a telephone number and location
identification for each unique building or publicly used facility within a defined geographic area in Seattle.
Automatic Number Identification (ANI), the system capability to identify automatically the calling telephone number
and to provide a display of that number at any public safety answering point.
CAD Interface, the means of automatically introducing the ALI data into a CAD system, rather than by manually
entering the information.
Call Relay, disposition of a 911 call by the notation of pertinent information by the PSAP call-taker who forwards the
information to the appropriate agency.
Call Referral, disposition of a 9-1-1 call by advice to the caller of the appropriate numbers to call other than 911.
Call Sequencer, equipment that distributes incoming calls to available PSAP positions in sequence.
Call Transfer, the extending of a 911 call by a PSAP call-taker to connect the caller with the appropriate agency.
Central Office, a telephone company facility that houses the switching and trunking equipment serving telephones in
a defined area.
Central Office Modification, hardware and/or software changes to a telephone company central office to specifically
accommodate Enhanced 911 service.
Central Office Upgrade, scheduled hardware and/or software changes to a telephone company central office to
improve the overall telephone service from that site.
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), a computer-based system intended to increase the efficiency and accuracy of
public safety call handling and dispatching.
Continuous Logging Recorder, a device which records date, time, voice and TTY communications, and other
transactions involved in the processing of calls to the PSAP.
Dedicated Trunk, a telephone circuit used for one purpose only;; transmission of 911 calls.
Dedicated Network, a point-to-point or multi-point network where resources (switching or transmission facility) are
reserved for a particular customer or type of traffic.
Default Routing, the capability to route a 911 call to a designated (default) answering point (called a default PSAP)
when the incoming 911 call cannot be selectively routed due to an ANI failure, garbled digits or other cause.
Diverse routing, the practice of routing calls through different circuit paths in order to prevent total loss of the 911
system in the event an individual circuit is disabled.
Data Management System (DMS), a system of manual procedures and computer programs used to create, store
and update the data required for selective routing and ALI information in support of enhanced 911.
Duplicate Street Name, a street name in which the name and any associated designator is exactly the same
(example: Pine St. and Pine St.;; NOT Pine St. and Pine RD.)
Emergency Service Zone (ESZ), a defined geographical territory consisting of a specific combination of law
enforcement, fire and emergency medical service coverage areas.
April 2015 | P a g e 24

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

Emergency Medical Services (EMS), municipal based, private under municipal contract, private, or volunteer
rescue squads or hospital based advanced lfe support agency/providers whose sole purpose is to provide EMS to a
municipality or group of municipalities.
Enhanced 911 System and Enhanced 911 Services, a system consisting of selective routing with the capability of
delivering ALI/ANI to a PSAP, network circuits, data bases and answering equipment, the combination of which
enables a user to request emergency services by dialing the digits 911.
Enhanced 911 Equipment, equipment located at the PSAP or controller type equipment located at the service
pURYLGHU¶Vlocation that provides or supports enhanced 911 capability.
Fixed Transfer, the capability of a PSAP call-taker to transfer a 911 call using a single button.
Host-Remote, the relationship between conventional central office switching equipment and a Remote Switching
Unit (RSU) in another facility which usually has limited capability and may not be able to function independently if
connecting links from the host office are interrupted.
Instant Playback Recorder, a device that allows for the instant playback of the audio portion of the last 911 call.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Basic Service, provides an integrated digital access to voice, switched
data and packet switched data transport services using ISDN network technology.
Local Exchange Company (LEC) includes all persons, firms, corporations, associations and joint stock associations
or companies furnishing or rendering local telephone exchange service.
Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) Master Street Address Guide. The MSAG is a database that defines the
streets within a given service provider boundary.
Network Provider, any communications company providing a network and access to it.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX), a private telephone system allowing communications within a business, and
between a business and the outside world.
Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), a facility assigned the responsibility of receiving 911 calls and, as
appropriate, directly dispatching emergency response services or transferring or relaying 911 calls to other public or
private safety agencies.
Redundancy, having one or more backup systems available in case of failure of the main system.
Selective Routing, a telecommunications switching system that enables all 911 calls originating from within a
defined geographical region to be answered at a pre-designated PSAP.
Service Provider, any entity that provides a portion of the statewide enhanced 911 system to the system provider.
System Provider, any entity that provides the entire statewide enhanced 911 system (general contractor) and is the
single point of contact on an ongoing basis for any matters relating to the system.
Tandem, a switching system in the enhanced 911 telephone network that establishes 911 call routing.
Teletype (TTY), a telecommunications device consisting of modems that permit typed telephone conversations with
or between deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired people.
Text Telephone (TT), a machine that employs graphic communication in the transmission of coded signals through a
wire or radio communication system. It is interchangeable with the term TTY or telecommunications device for the
deaf.
Trunk, incoming 911 circuit.
Trunk Seizure, the point at which a call is assigned to a trunk and acknowledgment is provided by the 911 call
processing equipment.
Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), a system designed to provide power indefinitely, without delay or transients,
during a period when the normal power supply is incapable of performing acceptably.

April 2015 | P a g e 25

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

APPENDIX 2: REFERENCES (CUSTOMER-FURNISHED INFORMATION)
Attachments:
1 &KLHI2¶7RROH¶V3ULRULWLHV
2 SPD Communications Organization Chart
3 Seattle Police Department Communications Section Overview
4 Seattle Police Department 911 Call Diagram
5 Seattle Police Communications Center Annual Trunk Line Counts (2003 ± 2014)
6 Seattle Police Communications Language Line Counts (2014)
7 PCA Tapes Office Workload Increases Year-to-Year
8 Seattle Police Department Directive: D08-041 Responding to Calls for Service (July 30, 2008)
9 Seattle Police Department Memorandum, Surge Q (January 17, 2014)
10 SPD Surge/Non-emergency Transfers (call flow diagrams)

The balance of this page is intentionally blank

April 2015 | P a g e 26

REPORT FOR
SUBMITTED TO

APPENDIX 3: PERSONS CONSULTED

The following personnel were consulted during the initial site visit during the course of data gathering activities that
contributed to the production of this document:
¾ Seattle Police Department
x Scott Best, Communications Dispatcher III (Current Union President for SPD Communications)
x George Bray, Police Lieutenant, Communications
x Carma Clark, Police Officer, Crime Analyst
x Veronica Elias, Communications Call-taker (Dispatcher I)
x Peggy Garcia, Communications System ITP, Sustainment Team
x Jan Hoyt, Communications Analyst
x Christy Kerns, Police Officer, Operations Center
x Rita Lee, IT Applications
x Khanh Luong, Police Officer, Alternative Call Handling
x Jamie McMurray, Communications Dispatch Supervisor
x Vic Minor, Police Officer, DOC Coordinator
x Robert Montague, Communications Dispatch Supervisor
x Danette Neuhausen, Communications Dispatcher III
x 0DWWKHZ2¶1HLOO&RPPXQLFDWLRQV'LVSDWFK6XSHUYLVRU
x Dick Reed, Police Captain, Communications Section
x Scott Remillard, IT Support
x Karen Shilling, Communications Dispatcher III
x Brian Smith, Communications Dispatcher III
x Linda Spromberg, Communications Analyst
x Russ St Myers, IT Support
x Mae Wun Yuen, Communications Chief Dispatcher.

The balance of this page is intentionally blank
April 2015 | P a g e 49

Kimball Report

Uploaded by

Document Informationclick to expand document informationKimball Report

Document Informationclick to expand document information

Copyright:

Available Formats

Kimball Report

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Kimball Report

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ARCHITECTURE  ENGINEERING  COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

Centralized Review of the

ARCHITECTURE  ENGINEERING  COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

1.3 Terms and Abbreviations

1.5.3 Person(s) Consulted

1.6 Version Control and Distribution

Version Date Reason for Version Distribution List

2. OVERVIEW OF 911 SERVICES ± CITY OF SEATTLE,

2.1 911 Operations ± an Overview

2.2 Seattle Police Department Manual §12.010 ± Communications

2.3 An Overview of 911 Operations: State of Washington Context

2.4 An Overview of 911 Operations: King County, Washington

2.5 An Overview 911 Operations: Seattle Police Department

3. SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT COMMUNICATIONS:

3.1.1 Staffing and Workload - Issues

3.2.1 Limitations in Networked Technologies for 911-call handling - Issues

3.2.1.1 Blocked 911 Calls

3.2.1.2 Inaccurate Call Processing Counts

3.3 Issue #3: Limitations with Processing Calls from Non-English

3.3.2 Limitations with Processing Calls from Non-English Speaking Callers -

3.3.2.1 Call Answer Delays

3.3.2.2 Limited Troubleshooting

3.4.2.1 Call Entry Delays.

3.4.2.2 Computer Aided Dispatch System Freezes

3.4.2.3 Seattle Police Department Information Technology Maintenance

3.4.2.4 Limited Troubleshooting

3.5 Issue #5: Seattle Police Department Communications

3.5.1 Seattle Police Department Communications dispatching calls during police

3.5.1.1 Disparate sources for communicating policies, procedures and related

3.5.1.2 Inconsistent and/or no formalized protocol between Seattle Police

3.6 Issue #6: Current Facility Design and Console Equipment

3.6.1 Current Facility Design and Console Furniture Issues

3.6.1.1 Seattle Police Department Communications Center Design

Communications Section for plans/blueprints.

4. RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS

4.2 Next Steps: Seattle 911 Issues and Opportunities

APPENDIX 3: PERSONS CONSULTED

You might also like

ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

ARCHITECTURE ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY