Portland 911 Wait Times Improve but Trainee Turnover Cost City $3.4 Million

PORTLAND, Ore. — According to a recent Bureau of Emergency Communication (BOEC) audit, Portland 911 call wait times have significantly improved, but the audit revealed that costs of employee attrition need to be addressed.

Portland 911 Wait Times

During the pandemic, employee attrition affected call answering times. At the same time, nationwide, 911 call volumes increased, and states struggled to retain operators- mainly because of burnout associated with long hours and job-related stress.

A hiring push helped wait times, but the BOEC audit found that nearly half of the people hired are terminated or quit before completing training. Even though the attrition rate is similar to that of other states, the trend is expensive.

Over 3.5 years, the City paid $3.4 million in salaries, benefits, and related costs for Emergency Communications dispatcher trainees who were later terminated or resigned during training.

Dispatch centers should answer at least 90% of emergency calls within 15 seconds, but Portland’s emergency dispatch center fell well below that benchmark. The audit shows:

• BOEC had just 63 fully trained and certified Senior Dispatchers and 33 vacancies in July 2022.
• The average wait time was 77 seconds.
• Only 29% of calls were answered within the 15-second standard.

Several initiatives have helped BOEC retain staff and reduce call wait times. 911 call wait times have improved dramatically. By January 2026, BOEC had 91 Senior Dispatchers and six vacancies, and the agency reported an average wait time of 18 seconds.

Still, Portland’s 911 dispatchers face a grueling, highly competitive multi-step vetting process- including strict typing tests, psychological exams, and a demanding 12-week academy- before even reaching the phone lines.

This exhausting, prolonged onboarding pipeline, combined with the high-stress nature of the role, creates a significant bottleneck that directly contributes to the department’s steep attrition rates.