State and local leaders can alleviate the burden on public safety personnel by tackling three workforce trends

Government officials and public safety leaders wear many different hats. They serve as sounding boards for constituent complaints and for new ideas that need vetting. They are change agents charged with improving the lives of citizens and colleagues and are tasked with keeping order. Their most daunting responsibility, however, is keeping members of their community safe.

Nearly every day, our newsfeed features stories about residents and responders put in harm’s way—or worse, killed—due to some kind of catastrophe or emergency event. The uptick in emergencies is prompting members of the public to turn to state and local leaders for help, and their pleas are coming at a time when many agencies are facing setbacks due to budget cuts and staffing shortages. These workplace woes are compounded further by the same mental health challenges that are playing out in the private sector—anxiety, job burnout and depression.

As government leaders work to keep residents safe, they must first protect their own employees. So, let’s look at some of the ways that state and local officials can do just that.

Address staffing shortages and fill operational gaps with next generation technology
Like their private sector counterparts, state and local offices are struggling to recruit new employees. This unfortunate trend is forcing current personnel to take on extra responsibilities with less resources. 911 centers and law enforcement agencies are especially vulnerable given attrition and a robust job market that has public safety employees seeking other careers. For example, the Kansas City police department is operating with 100 fewer non-law enforcement roles filled—including 911 dispatchers—and 200 fewer officers than warranted. This hiring dearth has led to citizens waiting longer for a dispatcher to take their call and send responders—delays that could exacerbate emergency situations.

While agencies look to secure additional funding to retain employees and recruit new staff, they would be wise to use next generation technology to fill personnel gaps and reduce the likelihood of employee burnout. Tech solutions can capture and share critical caller information, as well as location data and streaming video so that 911 call takers and first responders can efficiently and effectively spring into action. They can display facility information like critical floorplans, emergency contacts and activate two-way texting so that call takers and responding units are aware of any unique or special circumstances. More detailed information at the outset allows for quicker response and better situational awareness, which is good news for the person in distress as well as public safety personnel.

Recognize the propensity for mental health concerns
Last summer, the 988 nationwide suicide and crisis lifeline was launched, and with it came an abundance of news coverage about mental health issues, especially where it intersects with public safety. As public safety leaders look to address the influx of mental health-related calls into 988, they must first prioritize the mental health needs of their employees. Public safety answer points (PSAP) call takers and responders work in high-stress environments; they are not immune to the events unfolding on the other end of the line. For example, 35 percent of first responders reported symptoms of anxiety or depression, compared to 30.4 percent of at-home workers. Government officials need to recognize the intense nature of public safety roles and ensure emergency professionals have access to the best resources, tools and technologies so they can perform at an optimal level and navigate potential mental health issues.

Technology can also give employers and employees alike peace of mind. Public and private sector leaders are increasingly using centralized, digital repositories to store emergency plans and mental health resources so that personnel can access the resources and protocols that exist for their benefit. The data generated from these online portals are also helping authorities understand today’s most pressing mental health needs and where resources should be allocated.

It’s time to make disparate data a thing of the past
Data can also be used to improve response. To date, the data collected by public safety technology solutions has been siloed within agencies—law enforcement, fire, EMS and 911. The right people in public safety agencies haven’t had access to the right data when they needed it. If systems do not talk to each other—across departments or jurisdictional boundaries—employees and constituents will continue to be at a disadvantage. An example of this is a resident who completes a safety profile with their local 911 center that outlines allergies or existing medical conditions. But that resident, unfortunately, experiences an emergency in an abutting town that does not have access to that same safety profile. This data disconnect precludes police, EMS or fire from knowing critical information in the heat of the moment. Data integration and interoperability is essential today. It allows 911 centers to expedite response, alert key stakeholders and collaborate with agencies in neighboring communities during complex incidents. This progress not only reduces on-the-job stress for 911 personnel but improves outcomes for those requiring emergency assistance.

Pathways forward
In 2023, state and local leaders must use technology to fill operational and response gaps; improve mutual aid response; support their overburdened employees; and transform data into actionable insights. In doing so, officials will demonstrate their commitment to keeping members of their community, both internally and externally, as safe as possible from harm.

Todd Miller is the senior vice president, strategic programs, for Rave Mobile Safety, a Motorola Solutions Company, where he manages all strategic programs and government affairs at Rave. Prior to joining Rave, Miller managed the self-service consulting practice at Oracle, where he was responsible for the delivery of customized software solutions for clients in North America, supporting millions of users.