(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — At the June 23 City Council meeting, longtime resident and police dispatcher Paris Murphy addressed the council with a serious message: dispatchers are stretched too thin, and the department’s outdated technology is putting emergency response at risk.
“I’m here tonight to express concern regarding our working conditions and the state of our dispatch center,” Murphy said during public comments.
She outlined three major concerns: understaffing, failing radio equipment, and increasing turnover. “Our current team is struggling to meet the demand of 24/7 coverage,” she told councilmembers. “The workload has taken a toll on morale and mental health.”
Murphy also warned that the department’s radio equipment for all emergency calls—are over 15 years old and frequently fail during calls. “We are forced to switch units mid-call, which delays response times,” she said. She added that these radios lack basic modern features, including the ability to send text messages.
Her third point focused on staffing instability. “We have lost multiple dispatchers in the last year alone,” she stated. Though she did not provide an exact number, Murphy emphasized that training each replacement is costly and time-consuming. “We’re constantly playing catch-up,” she said.
The Simi Valley Police Department’s Communications Bureau is responsible for emergency response coordination across the city’s 47 square miles and its population of more than 126,000 residents. Dispatchers serve as the first line of communication between the public and police, fire, and medical services.
Murphy closed her remarks with a direct appeal: “We need more support—more staff, updated equipment, and pay that reflects the level of stress and responsibility this job carries.”
Council members did not immediately respond with policy proposals during the meeting, but the seriousness of Murphy’s comments appeared to resonate. Her remarks come at a time when dispatcher shortages and burnout are part of a national pattern. A 2023 APCO International survey found that over 80% of public safety answering points reported significant staffing challenges, and many agencies struggle with retention due to low pay and high stress (.
For now, Simi Valley’s dispatch team continues its work with the tools and staffing it has. But Murphy’s message was clear: the system needs help—before the next emergency call comes in.
