MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Taking over law enforcement responsibilities in Prichard has strained resources throughout the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, including a specific group of employees who have received scant attention – dispatchers.
Since June 16, Mobile County sheriff’s deputies have responded to more than 2,400 calls from residents and businesses. That is roughly a third of all calls to the Sheriff’s Office.
Every one of those calls – whether routed from a 911 call or coming directly as a non-emergency call – goes to a dispatcher working for the Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Paul Burch said the department ideally should have 20 dispatchers, four supervisors and an administrator. Instead, the agency is budgeted for 16, which includes the supervisors and no administrator…