Wed Jun 28 2023 12:07 am
Harris County, Texas (KTRK) – A new program was unanimously passed Tuesday afternoon by the Harris County commissioners that could change the way police reports are submitted to the sheriff’s office.
The TeleDeputy unit will be funded with $1.7 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a federal program intended to help the economy recover after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Deputies at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office will be able to volunteer for overtime shifts, where they will work in the emergency dispatch center alongside 911 dispatchers.
They will respond to non-urgent cases by phone and file reports to the police of incidents such as stolen bicycles or vandalism.
Related: 13 Investigators: Does Shortage of Law Enforcement Personnel Affect Response?
Officials said this would free up deputies in the field to respond to more important calls, such as domestic violence or homicides. They believe it is one way to address the widespread shortage of law enforcement officers in the United States, and hope the program will improve response times and quality of service.
Related: New 911 technology will enable officers to hear emergency calls in real time in Missouri City
“We’re having trouble recruiting and retaining talent here in Harris County. So we’re working on compensation analysis, personnel analysis, ways to address that shortfall. But in the meantime, our officers are the officers we have. Let’s spend their time moving the needle as far as possible in Public Safety,” Pct. 4 said Commissioner Leslie Briones.
Briones said she was the one who worked with Sheriff Ed Gonzalez to come up with the suggestion, noting that nearly 60% of calls to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are low-priority cases.
The program will last for one year. At this point, the commissioners will step back and assess whether or not they want to continue investing in the program.
For more information on this story, follow Rosie Nguyen FacebookAnd Twitter And Instagram.
Copyright © 2023 KTRK-TV. All rights reserved.
[ad_2]
https://abc13.com/harris-county-commisioner-deputies-teledeputy-program-911-call-center-in-houston/13434102/
