Changes, upgrades coming to DC’s 911 system after major outages

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1 year ago

August 20, 2024

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Changes, upgrades coming to DC’s 911 system after major outages

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — There have been several high-profile incidents of D.C.’s 911 system going down.

Now, the Office of Unified Communications is getting a much-needed upgrade.

DC’s 911 call center under new leadership, direction

The IT issues are just part of the problem. There are also major staffing issues that some allege have led to errors.

City officials spoke for the first time publicly since a baby died while the system shut down earlier this month.

Since December of last year, D.C. City Administrator, Kevin Donahue, said there have been 18 incidents of the 911 system going down for a period of time.

“Eight of the 18 had some pretty significant effects. It has more systemic in nature and most of those dealt with dispatch,” Donahue said.

One of those outages on Aug. 2 lasted two hours. Donahue said a contract employee pushed a change to every workstation at the 911 center instead of the planned one or two stations.

“Totally unacceptable. Totally outside of the norm and expectation of what this person should have done,” Donahue said.

The contractor was fired that day and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating what happened.

“Whether it was a mistake, perhaps lack of training, lack of similarity, or whether it was negligence of a criminal nature is an open question,” Donahue said.

DC 911’s call center to offer $800 bonus to employees who show up for work

During that time a five-month-old died. The family first couldn’t contact 911 and then with pen and paper, dispatchers sent medics who were already on another call to the address.

Donahue said everyone followed protocol.

“But the protocol wasn’t sufficient to be able to accurately understand that we had a unit that the system showed us available, but in fact wasn’t,” Donahue said.

OUC Director Heather McGaffin said her staff did all they could.

“My condolences to the family. Losing a child is unimaginable. Our call takers did everything that they could in those moments to reassure and offer guidance during that time,” McGaffin said.

Donahue said they have a 22-point plan to address the computer-aided dispatch outages.
The most important part is equipment upgrades.

“The equipment we have was not able to keep up with the demands that are being placed on it,” Donahue said.

DC’s 911 response to shooting worries woman after waiting on hold for nearly 90 seconds

Around $2.5 million of upgrades wasn’t going to start until the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 but because of these incidents, the IT has money now to start doing upgrades.

“We have to learn from that and change how we do things so that there’s not going to be another instance of a family in a similar circumstance,” Donahue said.

Another big component of the problems with 911 is staffing.

Twenty-two call takers are starting at the end of this month. Nineteen vacant dispatcher positions will be filled through promotions from within OUC.

D.C. handles about 1.8 million calls a year. Call takers and dispatchers handle 70 or 80 calls per 12-hour shift.

DC’s 911 Call Center coming under fire

McGaffin said when they’re fully staffed they’ll look at reducing shift hours from 12 to eight or 10.

“We hold people accountable. We retrain and we separate when we have to,” McGaffin said.

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D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report

Published

8 hours ago

December 16, 2025

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D.C. Police Chief manipulated crime data; new House Oversight report

TNND — A new report from the House Oversight Committee alleges former D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith pressured officers to manipulate crime data. The committee released the report on Sunday, less than a week after Smith announced she was stepping down.

You’re lulling people into this false sense of security. They might go places they wouldn’t ordinarily go. They might do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do,” said Betsy Brantner Smith, spokesperson for the National Police Association.

Included in the report were transcribed interviews with the commanders of all seven D.C. patrol districts and the former commander currently on suspended leave. One was asked, “Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?” Their response, “Yes, I mean extremethere’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration.”

Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) said in a statement.

“They are going to have to regain the public trust. Again, this is a huge integrity issue,” Brantner Smith said.

Among the reports findings, Smith’s alleged pressured campaign against staff led to inaccurate crime data. Smith punished or removed officers for reporting accurate crime numbers. Smith fostered a toxic culture and President Trump’s federal law enforcement surge in D.C. is working.

While Smith has not yet publicly responded to the report, she’s previously denied allegations of manipulating crime data, saying the investigation did not play a factor into her decision to step down at the end of the year.

My decision was not factored into anything with respect to, other than the fact that it’s time. I’ve had 28 years in law enforcement. I’ve had some time to think with my family,” Smith said earlier this month.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also released a statement Monday, writing in part that “the interim report betrays its bias from the outset, admitting that it was rushed to release.”

According to crime stats from the Metropolitan Police Department, since the federal law enforcement surge started in August, total violent crime is down 26%. Homicides are down 12% and carjackings 37%.

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Washington, D.C

National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims

Published

20 hours ago

December 15, 2025

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National Menorah Lighting in DC dedicated to Bondi Beach victims

The first candle lit on the National Menorah near the White House in Washington, D.C., marked the first night of Hanukkah — and solemnly honored victims of the Bondi Beach shooting.

The National Menorah Lighting was held Sunday night, hours after gunmen opened fire on a crowd celebrating the beginning of Hanukkah at Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach. Fifteen people were killed, including a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor, and over three dozen others were being treated at hospitals.

Authorities in Australia said it was a terrorist attack targeting Jewish people.

Organizers behind the National Menorah Lighting said the news from Australia, along with the bitter cold, forced them to consider whether or not to hold the annual event.

After consulting with local law enforcement, National Menorah Lighting organizers decided to hold the event and honor the victims.

Several D.C.-area police departments issued statements confirming there are no known threats to local communities, but are monitoring just in case.

Montgomery County Executive Mark Elrich condemned the attack and said community safety is a priority.

“Acts of antisemitism, especially those meant to intimidate families and communities during moments of gathering and celebration, must be called out clearly and condemned without hesitation,” Elrich said. “I have heard directly from members of Montgomery County’s Jewish community who are shaken and concerned, and I want them to know that their safety is a priority.”

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READ: Report accuses DC Police Chief Pamela Smith of ‘fear, intimidation, threats’

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

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READ: Report accuses DC Police Chief Pamela Smith of ‘fear, intimidation, threats’

WASHINGTON (7News) — Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Chief Pamela Smith is facing yet another scathing report accusing her of manipulating crime data in the city.

The 22-page document from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform comes less than a week after a separate draft report from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and days after Chief Smith turned in her resignation.

The main difference between the Congressional report and the DOJ report is that this new one, released on December 14, contains transcribed interviews directly with commanders from all seven MPD patrol districts.

RELATED | DC Police settles with former employee over claims that crime numbers were manipulated

The testimony reveals how Chief Smith chastised and, in some cases, publicly humiliated staff in crime briefings.

“The Committee’s investigation heard consistent testimony about frustration and exhaustion among MPD commanders and the manifestation of a culture of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation by Chief Smith. Often, these manifestations were triggered whenever the Chief was presented with what she considers ‘bad news,’ particularly when that news pertained to any rise in public crime statistics. Chief Smith, according to testimonies, regularly took action against her subordinates who failed to aid in the preservation of her public image,” the report states on page two.

RELATED | Trump announces probe into DC police for inflating crime stats amid safety claims

The committee launched the investigation in August when whistleblowers came forward with concerns about data manipulation.

One line of questioning in the report states:

Question: Over the last few years, has there been any internal pressure to simply bring down crime statistics?

Answer: Yes, I mean extreme… there’s always been pressure to keep crime down, but the focus on statistics… has come in with this current administration or regime, and you know, that has manifested publicly.

7News reached out to Mayor Bowser’s Office for a comment in response to the report. A spokesperson provided the following statement:

The men and women of the Metropolitan Police Department run towards danger every day to reduce homicides, carjackings, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and more. The precipitous decline in crime in our city is attributable to their hard work and dedication and Chief Smith’s leadership.

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I thank Chief Smith for her commitment to the safety of D.C. residents and for holding the Metropolitan Police Department to an exacting standard, and I expect no less from our next Chief of Police.

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