July 1, 2023

Jackson County Legislator and 911 Committee Chairman Sean Smith plans to introduce legislation proposing an Assessment of Needs Study for emergency service technologies in the county.

This ordinance will allocate $200,000 for a third party to evaluate the needs of our dispatching systems to give us a clear picture of what it looks like today and where specific improvements are needed. Police and Fire Departments across Jackson County are experiencing major staffing shortages in their dispatching centers, drastically increasing the work load for the dispatchers that are left on shift.

Consequently, citizens experience increasing hold times on live calls with 911. Unfortunately, this very incident took place on county property at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday June 11th when a couple was attacked and called 911 for help but were put on hold for over five minutes. “It is the responsibility of this Legislature to address the growing needs of our emergency workers. In 2023 it is unacceptable to offer this level of service to our constituents with the technology that’s available today,” Smith advocates.

Legislator Smith represents the 6th District in Eastern Jackson County. He is Chairman of the 911 Committee, and also sits on the following committees: Finance & Audit, D.E.I, Justice & Law Enforcement, Land Use And Public Works. Contact his office with any questions or to schedule an appointment 816-881-3274.