Brown County Dispatch. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Employees at Brown County’s 911 dispatch center continue to express concerns about working conditions, saying the way the dispatch center is currently operating is unsafe.
Now, Brown County first responders and unions who represent first responders are asking for changes.
The group sent a letter to the Brown County Board of Supervisors and the Public Safety Committee. In it, ongoing concerns about the dispatch center are outlined, including staffing shortages, forced overtime and unsafe conditions.
The letter reads:
We write to express strong support for Brown County’s dispatchers and to urge action to improve recruitment and retention.
Dispatchers are a vital part of emergency response, serving as the first point of contact in crises and providing critical coordination for law enforcement, fire and EMS. Current staffing shortages have created excessive workloads, forced overtime and unsafe conditions, increasing the risk of errors that could impact both responders and the public.
Turnover has also risen significantly, including the loss of experienced staff, which adds further strain and reduces institutional knowledge. Concerns about training, communication and long-term sustainability highlight the need for immediate and sustained improvements.
Addressing these challenges requires competitive hiring strategies, better retention efforts, professional development opportunities and meaningful engagement with current staff.
Investing in dispatchers is essential to maintaining reliable emergency services and protecting community safety. We urge county leadership to prioritize both immediate and long-term solutions to ensure the safety of citizens, officers and first responders.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Brown County Sheriff’s Office Non-Supervisory Labor Association
Ashwaubenon Public Safety Officers Association
De Pere Police Benevolent Association
Green Bay Professional Police Association
Pulaski Police Department personnel
Wrightstown Police Department personnel
Green Bay Metro Fire Department personnel
Howard Fire Department personnel
Suamico Fire Department personnel
De Pere Professional Firefighters Welfare Association
County Board Supervisor Patrick Evans agrees and says those concerns are all valid.
“I’ve lost my faith in the management out there, because I talked to the employees. I know what’s going on,” Evans said.
Evans said he worries about the workers, but he stressed there’s nothing the County Board can do about management at the dispatch center.
“We do not have labor authority. That’s County Executive [Troy] Streckenbach, and I think now is the time that he really needs to come forward and say, ‘Is there a problem or not?'” Evans said.
Despite concerns about unsafe conditions, Brown County Public Safety Communications Director Chancy Huntzinger disagrees. She said eight new workers have been hired and are currently in training.
In a statement, she said:
Brown County recognizes the importance of having its 911 center staffed by competent, skilled professionals, and continues to take measures to attract and retain such 911 operators. Previously, the County increased 911 operator wages, and hired a consultant to review operations and make best practice recommendations which the County currently continues to implement. In the last several years, starting pay grew by over 30%, and now goes up to $32.92 per hour, not including retention pay, signing bonuses, specialty pay and specialty overtime pay. While changes to governmental functions, such as those recommended as best practices by the consultant, are often opposed, these changes are necessary to ensure the safety of citizens, officers, and first responders.
Eight individuals have been hired and are currently being trained for these positions, two of which we anticipate will complete their training within the next two weeks. In addition, the County continues to utilize outside employee resources as appropriate while training occurs. Current staffing levels have not created unsafe conditions, and our turnover rate is below the national average for 911 center operators.
However, Evans said it’s less about numbers and more about culture.
“You can’t have a person answering a 911 call who’s already feeling stressed out because of how they’re being treated by management. That’s terrible,” Evans said.
Evans hopes the letter will spark changes to keep everyone in Brown County safer.
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